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 out Batallion landed in
Arabia to meet the Turks, but the Indian
troops meanwhile had taken 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 Alexandra 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
Derveshers and also for training I believe
we will be here for two months 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
2½ d. it took some time to learn the value
of the Egyptian 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 14^th 15
Dear Mother,
I have just received your
letter of Jan 9^th and also one from the
twins. We have just come back from
Ishmailia where we were camped for a
week, we thought we were going to have
a go at the Turks but they were stopped
at the Canal by the Indian troops. we
were all disappointed as we were looking
forward to having our cut at them.
The second contingent has arrived, they
are camped at Heliopies about thirty miles
from Mena. Herb Hipkins 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 Fleming 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
Melbourne. I have not; Lily Pearce is
the only one I have written to since
I left Australia.
Well mother there is not much to interest
you so I will close. I think we are
staying here till 12^th Mar.
Give my love to all at home at 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
5^th Batt. 1^st A.I.F. Reg't. A. Coy.
Address 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 our 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 8^th 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, though 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; through 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. Lemnos. 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 come 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 
[*This is the envelope of a letter
which has been following me
for seven months *] 

France
June 17^th 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
draw the money but remitted it through
the military pay office in Cairo, and they
will have to produce a signature for it
before they can refuse to pay me. I think
you will accieve 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 Mar 1^st and a remittance
of £80 on Feb 22^nd I have written a lot
of letters to you, but the postal service of
my Unit is about the worst in the division
Mails both coming and going are destroyed
to save transport