Letters from John Wesley Hetherington to his Family, 1914-1915 - Part 7

the balcony and my bed clothes stay out
there too. Still one never feels entirely
comfortable when they're around.
They have had desperate attempts to get
rid of them, but when they're once in,
they're their trenches, its more difficult
to get them out than it is the Turks.
We have all been fitted out with clean
clothes, new uniforms like the Tommies,
and it's difficult to pick out the different
Regiments. There are Dublins, Munsters,
Manchesters, Scots, Welsh, N. Zeald, Austns,
Ceylon Planters, and it's only with practice
you can tell [[tother?]] from which. We are
right on the sea coast on the Medittn
and have a good view of all the passing
ships, and there are some big ones passing
at times. Some of the Austn mail is being
delivered now, I heard of one chap
getting 30 odd letters for his whack. I
haven't got any yet; shall have to
be patient I suppose. It is pretty hot here
just now, and most establishments close

between 1 and 3 each day. The Maltese
simply lie down anywhere for a siesta
until the Sun loses its power. The Maltese
are industrious and are forever working
either in the fields or making lace at
home. Nearly all the women can make
lace, and they are very quick at it.
They make yards of embroidery from
1/- to 2/6 a yard. This being Sunday I
intend going to the Wesleyan Service in
Valletta tonight. The English people
are very kind, but the Maltese keep
at a distance especially the women.
I am have plenty of everything but
money & that is very short at
present: I have written Joe to send me
a £1 & that will serve me till I
change quarters again. Well I have
not much more news, the leg is
 

almost as good as ever, still a bit
stiff of course, and can't stand too
long a walk, but I'm thankful when
I see some of the cases here.
I enclose some more photos of interest,
one has my canary in view, canaries
are plentiful here and I have a nice
young cock bird, the plant on the
table is also mine, 1/- with pot in,
very cheap. The chap in bed is one of
the 3^rd Aust, a jockey from Melbne who
joined in Sydney. He has been in under two
or three operations on his leg. He's only
a little un but game as a pebble.
No more at present from
Your affect Son.
Wes/.
With love & kind rememberance to all.
 

[*19*]
Pembroke Convalescent Camp.
July 31/15. MALTA.
Dear Folk at Home./ 
I missed writing last week as I had nothing
of interest to write about. This last week I have
made a final move as you will see by address.
I have not heard from Joe for a month now, and
of course I have not heard from Aust? The
post is in as big a mix up as ever, & we can't
get any notion as to why our letters have not
arrived. My blessings on the man in charge.
I suppose I shall just have left Malta when
they discover there is such a person as I, in the
Austn Army. To make matters worse I haven't
been able to get any money yet & I've nearly
gone grey headed worrying how to buy two
newspapers costing 4d with 2d. I never was so
hard up for a long long time, & only today I
was saved from absolute bankruptcy by
having a bad shilling on to the Coffee bar
Walla (man). So I came to town with 11d
and I sponged my tea yesterday with a rather
shrewd move & today I dine or have tea with
the Presbyterian Council folk so that was
4d at least. Had I lived at the same
rate in Austa I should have been able to buy
 

McIlrath out. We get well fed at the Camp
there are about 1500 of us there, all sorts &
conditions of Tommies. They pay our fellows
10/- a week but I was too late for it this week.
I have been able to do some work to my liking
this last week or so having taken lessons in
French, just to keep the cobwebs off my brain,
and drive ragtime tunes out of my head.
It seems to be a part of the daily life of some
of the men here scheming to get away to Engd.
They work any old gag they think will
go Rheumatism, Sun headaches etc. etc. The wet
Canteen is responsible for many of the headaches.
I often strike a beer argument; In my last
ward I kept very quiet until just before I
left for Pembroke then I broke the ice & argued
for a whole day right round the ward, they
didn't know I could go off like a packet of
crackers when beer was the topic. I hear the
Austns are likely to be withdrawn for awhile to give
them a spell some of the poor beggars are ready
for it too from what I see of them. I may leave
here for Alexandria any time now.
Yours ever with love.
Wes/.
 

[*20*]
Pembroke Convalt Camp.
Malta.
August 7/15.
Dear Bro Fred
Nothing much exciting has occured since I wrote
you last. I have said good bye to hospitals, for ever I
hope and nowadays have nothing to do but gaze out
on the Blue Mediterrn. This is the last stage but one
of my stay in Malta, the next will be from here to
Fort Ricasoli to await a boat for Alexandria, and
I shan't be sorry in some ways. There are about 1500
men in this Camp all the Regiments are represented
here. There are 12 in this tent, Munsters, Dublins, Borders,
Engineers, Artillery, Austns, Machesters & Essex. &
Lancashires. You will understand we get a variety
of conversations, but the main topic is beer. The
Authorities in their wisdom? have installed a wet
canteen here and of course we have the usual crop of
evils as an accompanient:  On a Friday after the pay
the drinking & gambling is in full sway. The men get
7/- a week, Corpls 15/-, Sergt 21/- and when that is through
the thirsty ones go round to see what they can steal from
their comrades. I lost a bran new pair of boots & a new
shirt last Friday. They steal any spare stuff you may
have & sell it for a few shillings. Stuff worth 15/- will
be sold for 3/- perhaps. It is something scandalous.
I have known cases of men having clothes issued to them
at Imtarfa Hospl on transfer to St. Georges, then "flog"
[*sell it*] that, draw again at St Georges on being passed out
convalescent then draw here & sell what they could
spare of it: At the same time they prey upon the
 

men who do try to keep their original issue.
It is also not uncommon to see men lying about the
Camp dead drunk, and one of the chaps in my
Unit had the "rats" the other night, and was creeping
about on his hands & knees to get away from some
imaginary Turks. The most selfish men in such
circumstances as we are placed in, are the boozers.
They don't care what or whom suffers so long as
they get their whack of beer. I had a set on the
stuff before, but nothing to what I have now, it robs
us of privileges every day of the week. A very
good preparation for war would be to dynamite every
brewery & distillery in the Empire. We get very
good tucker at the Camp, tinned fish or tomatoes for
breakfast, stew or roast for dinner & a plain tea. We are
about 5 miles from Valletta, & we can get there & back in
a "Garry" for 7d or 8d. There is plenty of good bathing
with no fear of sharks, and life would be like a
dream but for the heat at times. It is all right when
cool but a hot day is almost unbearable it takes all
the energy out of you. Joe sent me a £1 last weekend
& I have drawn 15/- here so I have plenty of spare
cash and I my spirits have soared higher accordingly.
I was reduced to the equible sum of 4d last week,
now all is well & I smile again.
Joe sent me word out that Gilbert Brown was to
come to Malta as a steward on the Tuscan Prince.
I got the letter too late to see him. The letter had been
much delayed and the annoying part of it is
 

that I saw the Prince boat in the harbour and
could easily have gone aboard had I known.
I have not yet had any of your letters & have given
up hope of getting same before getting back to the base.
They are sending a good few from here to England for
convalescence. I should have liked to have gone of
course but I don't worry about it, as it will be better
to go when it is all over. Though the "Dardes" are a tough
proposition we do not anticipate it will last much
longer & we may have dinner off the Turkey this Xmas.
I have been learning a little French this last few days,
just to keep my brain from accumulating dust. The
religious processions here are the limit, they give me a
particularly large hump. The priests here are parasites
living on the people. They ought to be made to do
something useful for their living.
J There are not nearly so many wounded arriving here
now, though we anticipate a crowd some of these fine
days. I sent a Turkish rifle home to Joe but up to now
he has not received it so I shall have to go & get
another I suppose. i see you have been raising big
money for the Red Cross, good enough.
I am enclosing a note for Mother.
Nothing more of interest
Yours affectly
Wes/
 

[*21*]
Pembroke Convalt Camp.
Malta. Augt. 18/15.
Dear Mother/
I am writing today as I leave Malta tomorrow
for Alexandria. I am well tired of Malta as the heat
at times is almost unbearable, and apart from the
natural surroundings & the sea bathing there is nothing
whatever to be seen but soldiers, soldiers all day long.
They have bought a lot of wounded into Malta this last
week & I hear there are more to come in. The 2^nd Battn
have been in it pretty bad and we have lost nearly
every one of the original officers. Cooks son has been
killed this time I hear. He was wounded & was on the
same ship as me when I got sent down here, and has
been back to the front again. Also Major Scobie who
also came down after the landing. He has been back
and has been made Colonel, he has also been killed,
so we have lost two Colonels now. This last action is
one of the closing stages & it is unlikely there will be
such another task set the 1^st Brigde to perform.
We are expecting they will be withdrawn now for
reorganizsieation. There are a great many men in
Malta now and they are preparing for the rainy
weather. for the Da We don't expect there will be
many more weeks of fighting here at the Dards and
the fighting may collapse at any time as all the latest
arrivals speak hopefully of the present situation.
I don't know how long we shall be before we get back
there as we may be hung up at Alexandria. I am
[*The enclosed
photo was taken sometime ago
at Imtarfa
Beautiful fitting
pyjamas aren't they?*]
 

longing for some frosty mornings, as hot weather has
been rather trying to even strong constitutions. I have
lost weight amain this last few weeks & had some
thoughts of asking them to send me Home for a spell,
but there are so many malingirers trying to get sent
there that I got disgusted and asked the Dr to mark one
"fit" for services so  that I could get a chance to get out
of Malta. I'm tired of looking at priests, and
Catholic ceremonies and I feel inclined to be an
Orangeman for evermore after what I've seen here.
And besides I may get some Austn letters if I
get back East. Several of our sergeants have
told me there are whips of letters somewhere for me
but only the blithering idiots at the base know
where they are. I shall certainly tell them what
o'clock it is when I get the chance.
There is plenty of armourer's work to be done at the Dards
& I don't expect to have to be in so hot a corner again
as we had the first day. One of our lieutenants
told me the other day I had a right to be there.
Well its something to be able to say I was anyway.
I am enclosing a pair of lace cuffs for Elsie. I
tried to get something more, cheap, but I couldn't
beat the Maltese down far enough. Perhaps they will
match the collar I sent. Good life for the present, hope you
are all well, best of love to you all
Wes/.