Letters from John Joseph Bourke to his Parents, 1914-1917 - Part 1

Cairo
Egypt
Dec 9^th 14
Dear Mother,
We are off the boat at last after
six weeks on the water, and camped forteen
miles from Cairo on the banks of the Nile
and within half a mile of the Pyramids.
After leaving Aden we sailed through the
Red Sea and our Battalion landed in
Arabia to meet the Turks, but the Indian
troops meanwhile had take the fort from them
along the coast, so we embarked the next day
and continued our journey through the Suez
Canal to Port Said, where A Coy left the
boat and came as an advance party to
prepare the camp. The rest of the troops went
on to Alexandria and up the Nile River
and landed here three days after us
We had fifty German prisoners on the Orvieto
including Prince Franz-Josef Hohenzollern, the
Kaisers nephew. We were sent here as there was
likely to be trouble with the Arabs and
[[?]] and also after training I [[could?]]
[[?]] will be here for five [[weeks?]] at least
 

 

before we leave for England. Cairo is a very
big city about twice the size of Melbourne
there are scarcely any white peope, though
there is every other breed, it is frightful dirty
and the streets about eight feet wide. Everything
is very cheap especially fruit we can get
forty five oranges for a piastre which equals
2½d. it took some time to learn the value
of the Eqyptian money. The natives here work
for less than a penny a day and men
and women dress exactly alike.
I have not got a letter since we left
Melbourne but expect they will follow us up.
the pyramids are a wonderful sight, one
covers fifteen acres and is 571 ft high, some
of the stones near the top are as big as a house
I have been through one and seen the mummies
of kings who are supposed to be dead 4,000 years
you would not credit some of the sights to
to be seen here. I suppose you think we were
foolish to enlist, but what would be the result
if Germany took England, Australia would soon
be under German rule. Dear Mother give my
sincere love to Father and all at home and
I  hope all are well. Dont worry about me. I
get plenty tucker very little work & am happy
Your affectionate son
Jack
 

Mena Camp
Cairo Egypt
Feb [[?]]^th [[?]]
Dear Mother,
I have just received your
letter of Jan 9^th and also one from
[[?]]. We have just come back from
Ishmailia where we were camped for a
week, we thought we were going to Cairo
a go at the Turks but they were stopped
at the Canal by the Indian [[?]] we
were all disappointed as we were looking
forward to having one cut at them
The second company of us arrived, they
are camped at Heliopies about thirty miles
from Mena. Herb Hipkin is not being
sent back I think as he has passed
medical examination. We got plenty of leave
here and Cairo is a very interesting place
there is much to be seen so we have
a good time. I am just beginning to
learn the native lingo. 
 

I had a big feed in Cairo one night

and before I finished I asked the waiter

what it was, he told me it was donkey.

I enjoyed it all the same.

Alf [?] has been made a Corporal

I hope the twins get another year at the

Convent, suppose they are big girls now.

Did you get the £10 alright, it is risky

sending it such a long distance.

You asked me if I had a girl in

[?] [?]  Lily [?] is

the only girl I have written to since

I left Australia.

Well mother there is not much to [?]

you so I will close. I think we are

[?] going here till [?] [?]

Give my love to all at home and tell

Ned I will write to him soon,

I remain,

Your affectionate son

Jack

 

 

The Y.M.C.A. WITH H.M. Troops

From:   Jack

5th Batt 1st A.I.F. Reg't  A Coy.

Addresss reply to Mustapha

Convalescent camp

Alexandria Egypt

 

Dear Father

in answer to your letter which I was very

glad to receive.  I suppose mother got my letter

from the hospital alright.  I am very sorry you

are having such a bad season in Victoria

it seems to be getting worse every year.

I am sending mother a letter by this mail

containing eight pounds which I hope she

will get safely.

I suppose you read many glowing accounts of the

Australians on the Gallipoli Peninsula, but I

doubt if you get much truth.  Even here where

we know what is going on, the papers publish

continually false accounts of the war.

We left Cairo about 1st April and went to

Lemnos Island where we stayed about two weeks

On April 25th about two o'clock in the morning

we took to the boats and made for shore, where

the Turks were waiting, when out boats grounded

in about six feet of water, (meanwhile the enemy

kept up a hot rifle fire on us killing many

in the boats) we scrambled ashore fixed bayonets

and charged them up a hill 900 feet.  There

were easily five to one of the enemy but they would

not face the bayonet.  We drove them four miles

inland with great losses on both sides; then

the forts and artillery began to shell us, and

as there was some delay in getting our guns

ashore we had to retire about two miles, with

a big loss of men.  The Turks are good shots

and have better organisation than us, but will

not come near the bayonet.  They are using

soft nose, dum dum, and explosive bullets, though

the four that hit me were small nickel ones

 

my left hand is nearly right, and my head

is getting on as well as can be expected.

The Dr. told me I must have an empty space

where my brain should be otherwise I would

have been killed.

I reckon on being well enough in a month

or two to go back again.  I want to be

amongst them when Constantinople is taken

my opinion is the war will last another year.

Of all the troops the Australians show the

greatest pluck, fear is a thing unknown

while under fire.

Well Father I will conclude with love

to all at home.

Your affectionate son

Jack

 

 

Trenches. Anzac

Dec 8th 1915

 

Dear Mother,

just a few lines to say

I am well, and hope all are well at

home.  I have not received any letters for

a long time, thought I know you write

regular.  There have been a lot of mails

sunk in the Mediterranean lately by the

Kaiser's "Tin Fish" which accounts for it, I 

suppose. The weather is very cold now

with an occasional fall of snow, but

we are well supplied with warm clothes

and have good Dug-outs, twenty feet 

below the surface.  I forgot to mention in

my last letter that I had transferred

from the Infantry to the Machine Gun. Sect.

There has been very little fighting here

this few weeks, though bad Generalship

we have remained here idle, while "Abdul"

has consolidated his position so well

that I think our opportunity of taking

the Peninsula has been lost, we have the

men to go through anything but lack

competent leaders.

 

Herb Hipkins is still in Egypt I guess

he has got "cold feet".  Clarrie Headlam is

at Sarphi Lemnow.  I met Eddie Bourke

at Cape Suvla last week, he is looking

well and expects to be relieved shortly

for a rest.  Major Scott from Wangaratta

was blown right away with a "Jack Johnstone"

last week, it never left a trace of him.

There is only seven of my old Broadmeadows

Company left out of 250 and five of us have been

wounded, which goes to prove they have

done their job.

Dear Mother, I feel quite confident that

I shall get through all right, but should

my time some I am prepared to face it

I would like to write a lot but this

letter is liable to Censor, I am certain

the Allies will win eventually, thanks to

Russia, but it will probably some years yet.

I will now conclude, Mother, with the

best of love to little Ned the Twins

and all the Family, and look forward

to seeing you all again.

Your affectionate son

Jack

 

written on side of page...

This is the envelope of a letter

which has been following me

for seven months.

 

 

France

June 17th '16

 

My dear Mother,

I have just received a

letter from Eileen, the first from home

for a long time.  She says you never

got the money which I sent you, but I

think it will be alright as I did not

[..........................................?]  it though

the military pay office in Cairo, and they

will have to produce  a signature for it

before [?] to pay me.  I think

you will receive it in time, the military

are very slow.  I am making enquiries here

about it, and would advise Father to

write to the Melbourne Pay Office.  The

allotment was four shillings per day to be

drawn from [?] and a [?]

of [?] of Feb 22nd.  I have written a lot

of letters to you, but the postal services of

my unit is about the worst in the division

Mails both coming and going are destroyed

to same transport.