Letters from Wilbert Berg to his family, 1915-1918 - Part 2

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that all was well at the Dardenelles, the

first bit of war news we have heard since

we left Sydney, except for the rumors some 

fools start on board. We had some fun

crossing the equators dipping all those who

have not crossed it before, I was one of the ones

who got dipped, it took them nearly two days

to do all of them. We are in the middle of

the Red Sea now & it is like being in a

furnace. We have lost two from the heat

besides four that died from pneumonia, & this

morning one of the Stewards died not two 

feet from where I was sleeping & I did not

know until next morning so it will tell

you how I sleep. I was going to close this

letter & write again f when we were about

to land but I think I will put it all in

this one so will let you know from day to

day all the news. Young Splinter was fooling

about on deck the other day & slipped and

broke his toe but it is nearly O.K. now.

The measles broke out on board coming across

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& I was one of the unlucky ones to catch

them, so had to do two days in the Hospital.

We have not heard yet where we are going

to yet but I suppose we are lucky enough

to go to Egypt. They feed us up alright on board

even to poultry & roast pork, so is it any

wonder I have put on nearly a stone since

we came on board. All the boys asked to

be remembered to you all & Doctor asked to

be remembered to Mrs Boyd & family. Well Dad

& Mum I think this is all the news up till

now but will write again when I get some

more news. 19/7/15 Well Dad & Mum we have just

heard that we are going to Egypt but I don't

think we will go to Cairo. We strike the Suez

to-night and are landing to-morrow so I will

have to close the letter now but will write again

when we get to our destination So with heaps of

love kisses to all from

Your loving Son

Will XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Remember me to all.

XXXXXX

XXXXXX

Ceramic

23/7/15.

My Dear Dad Mum & Sister,

After all we never landed at Port

Suez only the Advance Guard went off. We arrived at

Port Suez early yesterday morning & left again this morning

at 3.30 A.M. While we were at Port Suez hundreds of niggers

came out to us where we were anchored selling all sorts of

things & diving for money. The first thing that was of any

importance after we drew anchor was the British Cruiser

Hymalalia at the mouth of the Canal, & then all the way

along the Canal are Indian & English troops entrenched.

It is the first glimpse of war that we have seen, my

word Dad & Mum you should see these trenches & wire

entanglements in front of them. The Suez is 98 miles

long with trenches on both sides so you can imagine how

many troops are there (I don't think that the Turks have

any chance of getting it). Our throats are sore from

singing out the soldiers ask who we are & we tell them

Australians & they say "Good Australia" & cheer like anything 

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After all we are going to Cairo, & are going to do four

months train first. We have had camp orders read

out to-day & I think we will get on O.K. We have

to get up at 5 A.M. every morning and drill till 9 A.M.

& then we do not go on parade till 4.30 P.M. until 7 P.M.

We have every night off to go to town & week ends to

go to Cairo. Well Dad & Mum this is all the news now

so the next letter you get will be from Cairo, so will

say ta-ta for the present with love & kisses from

Your loving Son

Will XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

P.S. We disembark to-morrow & it takes eight days by

train to get to Cairo

No. 10

Our new address →  Aerodrome Camp
Heliopolis

25/7/15

My Dear Dad, Mum, & Sister,

Well we have arrived here O.K &

have settled down to our final training which & think

will be about four months. We left Port Said at sunset

last Thursday & arrived at Alexander at daybreak on

Friday morning but did not go ashore till 3 P.M. From

Port Said to Alexander was the first time we had

travelled with lights out, we saw the the lighthouse just

off Alexander that the Germans hit with a shell. After

we landed we had to take the train to Heliopolis

& it took is six hours to get there & by the time we

got to camp it was midnight & we were up again

yesterday morning at 6 A.M. but only had to form up

while Col. Holmes said a few words & then he gave us

leave to go to Cairo, which is about five miles from

here by train. My word Dad you dont know your alive

till you have a trip You see some of the finest things

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in the world at Cairo, but you want to be a millionaire

to go around & see everything & the natives here take you down

here everytime. Heliopolis is a fine place too, all the

wounded soldiers from the Dardenelles are there in the

Hospital which is a fine place, it would make three

time the Sydney G.P.O. so that will give you a bit of

an idea of how big it is. One of our chaps was telling

me he met Williamson in town yesterday & he asked

was I here & that he was coming along to see me.

We have got used to the Egyptian money now, for an

Australian pound you get enough piastres to fill about

six pockets. We dont hear much war news here except

from the wounded boys. The mail closes here every

Friday so after you get this letter you will get one every

week. We had a mail in from Australia yesterday but

I never got a single one from anybody. Bert Dummett

only arrived to-day, & they left a fortnight before us, we

passed them at Aden. This is a big camp here something

like Liverpool, we have tents to sleep in, but we

have our meals in big sheds with tables & seats also

lights in them, we are right here in the desert here &

it is terrible hot too. The Mena Camp is about

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fifteen miles from here, it is just near the Pyramids.

I have not been to the Pyramids yet, because we will

have a route march there & we can see them then. We

get two new uniforms here for the heat, we have

little short pants, shirt, & cork helmet with our puttees

I am going to get my photo taken in them so will send

you one. By this weeks mail I am sending you a couple

of little things. I cannot send much because the things

worth sending are too dear. Well Dad & Mum this is

all the news this time, I will write again by the

next mail so with love from

Your loving Son, XXXXXX

Will XXXXXXX

P.S. Have just been to Church Father Murphy that

used to be at Liverpool is here & heard Mass. He

is going to hear confessions every Saturday so I am

going to go next Saturday. The 17^th Batt boys told us

that they have been for seven weeks & have been expecting

us every day that said that they heard once for certain

that our boat had been sunk & they were surprised

when we turned up. Remember me to all XXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I dont suppose Mart will be here for a while

because the 20^th were only a day behind us leaving Sydney

& they have not arrived yet & we have been in Camp

three days

[*I suppose you are getting

my money alright*]

Aerodrome Camp

Sunday 8/8/15

My Dear Dad, Mum & Sister,

Just another couple of lines to let 

you know that I am still O.K & I hope that you are all

the same. Well Dad & Mum I have no news to tell you

this time because I have told you all the news in my

previous letters, you might as well be on some island

as here because once you have seen Cairo & Heliopolis

you have to travel half a day before you strike another

town. We were unlucky to strike here in the middle

of Summer, but one good thing you are not likely to

catch pneumonia like you do in the winter. Although

it is terrible hot place they have some most beautiful

farms here but they are all irragated from the Nile

We only do the same number of hours drill here as we

did at Liverpool but at different times revellie goes at 5 A.M.

parade from 6 A.M. till 9 A.M. then lecture from 11 A.M. till 12 P.M.

& then parade from 5 P.M. till 7 P.M. so you see we do no

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drill in the heat of the day. We have plenty of night

marches here, we went out last night at 5 P.M. went

for a march all round Heliopolis & then made a night

attack across the desert back to Camp arriving home

at 10-30 P.M. Martie & the other transport boys have not

arrived yet & no wonder because the boat they were

coming by was only a tub of a thing & it would take

them about eight weeks to reach here. Young Splinter

Hellyer has not been well since we arrived here so he

went to Hospital last night we do not know

what is the matter with him yet. Doctor Brown had

a birthday to-day. Dont forget to send an occasional

paper along so that I can have a read. I have not

seen a decent paper since I left. Well Dad & Mum & Anne this is

all the news for this mail so ta-ta for the present.

XXXX

I am, XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX

Your loving Son, XXXXX

XXXXXX

Will XXXXX

P.S. I suppose you go the little parcel I sent you by last mail.

All the boys wish to be remembered to you all. Page from

Quayles has gone into Hospital with measles. I have not

seen Harry Neaves or Bert Drummett yet, never heard anything

about Williamson since.