Letters from Keith Rourke to his mother, and related correspondence to Mrs Rourke, 1914-1915 - Part 3

Mena Camp
Cairo Egypt
24 " 3 " 15
Dear Mother
Your long wished for and newsy
letter reached me yesterday. When last I
wrote it was generally believed we would be
away from here inside a week and still
we are here.
We are getting plenty of work mostly night
operations, mostly entrenching very hard work
most necessary though, but with most of the
boys not a popular pass time.
Last Tuesday we marched out of camp about
half past 4 oclock a distance of 2 or 3 miles
rested until about ½ past 10 when we commened
entrenching kept going until about ½
past (1) o'clock in the morning and I was then
taken out of the trenches with a corporal and
3 men and put on out post duty we had
to dig ourselves in which we did by about ½
past 2 we had absolutely no sleep and left
for camp again to about 6 o clock I felt as
fresh when I got into camp as when I left. 

2
yes I went along one afternoon to Mena
Hospital in the hope of seeing either Sophie
Durham or Nurse Martin but they happened
to be out, now they are at Heilopolis as
Mena House is no longer a Hospital. When
next I get leave which I hope will be
soon as I am anxious to see young Buchanan
who is in Hospital, I may be lucky enough
then to strike either Nurse Martin or Durham.
Judging from accounts you are having a very
trying summer in a note from Harold I
noticed where the thermometer had reached
115 F in Jerrys Plains. So far we have experienced 
nothing as bad as that though at
times tis quite warm enough during the day
but the nights are glorious. And so Statt
got away after all, He will be camped
at "Abyssia" am not sure of that spelling with
the 2nd. Contingent, if I get a chance I shall
run along and look him up. I do wish I
could get a decent photo to send you, young
Foster of Maitland snapped me a few days
ago like the rest Ive had taken tis a failure
However he is having another shot, I am enclosing 
the one he took he has begged of me not 

3
but one never knows the other may be worse
if it is possible. I had a line from Dorrie
and Nell they both wrote in the best of
form Nell enjoyed her stay at Terrigal.
I daresay you read the awful accounts
through the Australian papers of our doings
in Egypt for which there was absolutely
no foundation, oh the circulation of which
was due to a Captain Bien of the 3rd Batt
which we are glad to see he has still since corrected
I wonder has the chocolate Box reached you
I put in what I could, but neglected to
include a set of Millenies which I had
most carefully put away for you. If
only we were getting our full pay there are
lots of souvenirs I could send along but
on 14/- a week we are powerless; there were
seven or eight of us put asked for an advance
on our back pay but were turned down
for why I dont know. How are Tommie and
Rowland jogging along, am awfully disappointed 
at not being able to get an advance
as I promised to send Tommie along a present
however Ill not rest until I worry something 
out of them .

4
What fabulous prices all classes of stock
are fetching in Australia I trust Alan is
getting his share of business, do you know
Ive not had a line from him, I cant make
it out. I had a line from Geoff Cox of
Quirindi a few days ago he made no mention
of Alan, two of his Cousins the Standish
Cox's who were attached to ^th4 Batt died of
Pneumonia we have had a big percentage of
deaths from Pneumonia.
One of the Singleton boys O’Donnel died
of small pox, and as his tent was only in the
next lines to me Im in I was immediately
vaccinated my arm was bad for a while
but tis A1. again now. I believe Ernie
Capp has volunteered surely not as a private
When leaving Australia a thing most noticeable
amongst the troops was the a number of
wristlet watches worn now they are conspicuous
by their absence, the salt air on the way across
and the sands of the Lybian have proved too
much, but not for mine tis as sound and
healthy as ever, and very useful hows the
time Rourkie at first they worried me but am
now quite use to it. 

5
Well mother am afraid I have given you all the
news so will close with much love to you all
trusting this note finds you all enjoying the
same good health as I am at present

Your loving son
Keith Rourke
Yes I know what your cooking is, how I
would like to seat myself before a plate of
your "Maevaise" am not sure of the spelling
lots of the fellows growl at the way we are
fed very seldom you hear app Colonial growl
tis mostly what term themselves Imperial
[[?]]. For Breakfast we get 3 eggs per man
butter and of course our allowance of butter bread
and a pint of tea, occasionally we get
steak and tomatoes then for dinner stew
sometimes a joint, then for tea bread jam
and butter, one should never growl at that.
Tell Nell I was very glad to hear from her
and will drop a line next mail. 

Clan Macgillivray
May 16 " 5 " 15
My dear Mother
am leaving the Clan
Mc. today for the Dardanelles and
have been furnished with the
necessary writing material by the
4th Engineer. I wrote you from
Malta but there was some uncertainty 
of your getting the
letter. I was wounded in the
neck and shoulder my shoulder
is alright but my neck will
be a day or two yet before
it is quite better. There is really
no news except that we hold
a good position where we landed
Sari Bair. Ever since being
wounded I have been travelling
about and most of my time has
been spent on the Clan.
Well mother as we have to
get tea and get away I
must ring off with love to self
and all from your loving son
Keith. 

2
to you all. Well with regard
to letters I have written
every week since returning
after being wounded which
is just eight weeks ago I
trust by this you have receive
some of the letters. Am sorry
you have been worrying so
I should have cabled you had
I had the chance but I was
never allowed off the boat.
Should I meet with any bad
luck again I will be able to
cable you from here. Am seated
on the shore of the Aegean Sea
writing this note. Just finished
a surf and washing a couple of
flannels. Was enoculated today
as a guard against Cholera.
No do not think of sending
money Mother as it is absolutely
useless here. Should it be
my bad luck, or good
we to be wounded again
I may cable you for a little
[*The old
address will
do*]
Anzac Cove
Gallipoli
14 " 7 " 15
My dear Mother
your letter
of the 2 of June to hand 
yesterday 12^th 7.15 and very
glad I was to hear, there was one
from Nell & Tom, Stella also.
You can judge by the paper I
am using Mother that it is
very scarce this I got from
Pidcock who is with the
1 for get, he wishes to be
very kindly remembered 

3
then as In hospital we cant
get money. We have not received
a pay since April
There are heaps of interesting
news I could give you but
our letters are still strictly
censored. You remember there 
was a Mr Craddick school
teaching in Singleton his
brother is here with us a
Lieutenant and has charge
of the platoon I am attached 
to, I might state that I am
the possessor of  a stripe
(Lance Corporal) I have a good
way to go to gain a commission
still tis a great start. You will 
thank the sisters for the letters
tis quite important to write as
I have neither paper nor envelopes.
Until last week
our work was very heavy
now tis slightly
4
better we have 24 hrs in the
firing line and 3 days out
one day of complete rest the
other two fatigues, such as
carrying water and supplies
from the landing station.
I went along today to see
Curnow (Lance Corpl) who
was wounded during the
landing, the bullet penetrated
just under the
right eye, passing through
his false plate very narrow
escape eh. there were many
similar. Well Mother as 
my scraggy paper is about
finished will close with
much love to all
your loving son
Keith.
I wish you could drop in 
one day and see me cooking
my midday meal, potatoes
onions bacon boiled.
[*as fit and happy as
the birds of May*] 

Anzac Cove
Gallipoli
25 " 7 " 15
Dear Mother
Am seated under the
shade of a blanket which I
might state does not afford the
best of shades, still at this stage
am lucky to have a blanket. Today
we are out of the firing line for
about 36 hrs during the day there is not
much rest when the we have the
heat, and flies to contend with, and
Turkos shells some of which have
a very uncertain course. Though I think if it
were not for the occasional shelling
one would go mouldy, it keeps your
mind occupied when you hear 
them bursting and screeching
through the air wondering where
the next is going to lob. About
every other day we get for afternoon 
tea about 50 (11.2) shells weighing
well over 200 lbs when they lob
and burst within a few yards of 
the trench you are almost buried
with the earth that it tears up.
Only  a few days ago I got an
awful smack on the head with
a hugh clod, nothing serious
it was soon laughed off.
The portion of the firing line our
company occupies is only about
75 yds from the enemys trench, I 
might mention there shells do
not come from the trench they
are fired a distance of 3 or 4
miles. Some of the accounts of  

what that happened the Sunday
we landed here are horribly
exaggerated; two of the most
ridiculous statements one could
wish to read I came across in one
the Australian papers, for instance
bayonetting and tossing the Turk
over ones shoulder is quite impossible,
and then the struggle one of our
fellows had with a Turk on the
edge of a cliff finally toppling
into the sea, the Turk being drowned
another mad statement as there are
no cliffs within miles. If only things
were peaceful here it would be quite
a decent holiday resort, good fishing
grounds and good surfing, about every
two or 3 days we manage a surf, there
is not the pleasure in it though is at
Terrigal, just when you get nicely
fixed the disagreeable Turk 
sends along a message in the form
of 3 or 4 shrapnell shells you then
of course get for your life, in the
scrimmage you invariably get
the some other coves clothes.
Well Mother am afraid I must
close as there is really no news,
trusting this note finds you all
enjoying the best of health
Your affectionate son
Keith
The watch is in splendid form
keeps just as good time as
the day you gave it to me, and
it is most useful. Leaving Australia
nearly every member of the Batt had
a watch now you seldom see one
I think we have 3 in our company