Letters from Wilfred Emmott Addison to his Mother, 1915 - Part 1

At Sea

26^th June 1915.

Dearest Mother,

Well we're off at last. I got the

shock of my life seeing you again yesterday

in the street & a bigger one on the boat. Our

boat suddenly gave a huge toot, when I was

down below with my men & something seemed

to tell me we were about to sail. I rushed

up with my glasses to have one last look

round at the Harbour & I just happened to glance

at your boat & and there seemed some to be some

familiar look about two faces, so I looked through

my glasses & got the shock of my life. I hope you

heard what I called out just "Goodbye" & We're 

off." I was pleased to see you. My word the men

are happy now they're on board, such a different

air about them. Every one of our whole Coy turned

up to a man, in fact two over. Well we left

the Harbour about 5.45 p.m & didn't it blow

& rained slightly as well. It is about 10.30 a.m now

& we are sailing right into the teeth of the wind.

By Jove! Blow! One can lean on the wind on

the top deck ifacing the bow. She is a fine boat

&  marvellously steady. I don't know of any case

of sea-sickness yet. I feel a bit heavy this morning

& slightly qualmish but I have been feeling that

way for the last 3 days in Camp. At present I

am at liberty to say we are sailing due South.

I had a beautiful warm salt water bath last

night. My cabin is pretty crowded, four of us

sharing it. It was bad luck about poor Anderson.

I say keep all my letters & envelopes. They may be

interesting later on. I know you'll keep the letters.

The boat is beginning to pitch a bit now & last

night, the wind coming of the land flattened

the waves right out, blowing the tops off them

over a us. The first one that struck us was funny.

About 50 of the men were huddled in the bows

(there are always some people intent upon being

right to the front of everything) & all of a sudden

a huge spray went all over them & as they

ran for shelter, another one. We roared.

Everybody here is busy writing home. I'll never

forget that march through the streets. We had

double on our trucks & even almost ran across

Hyde Park to shake the people off But they

stayed & absolutely mobbed us. Mothers, sisters
brothers, fathers, wives; even carrying their soldier's
pack or rifle. I saw everybody I wanted to see
The sea is a beautiful sight, white caps everywhere & when
the sun shines a most b glorious blue, just like as if
[[?]]

I go on to deck occasionally to have a look through
my glasses at ^the old Australian coast, which is visible
I had one last fond look at Coogee & Bondi lights
last night. Its very hard to doo anything much
on deck owing to the strong gale. I only saw
Captain Lloyd for a minute, during the inspection
I couldn't leave my men (it wouldn't have been fair)
until they had had their food, so I didn't see
him again. This is a huge ship & I seem to
run against stranger officers every minute
Capt. Fitzpatrick is writing on the other side
of the table. Its his birthday to-day. Major
McPherson is not far away either. Well I
must say goodbye. with much love to
you all
from Wilfred
Thanks very much for biscuits
Let me know if you get the 10/- a day
regularly, every fortnight. 15^th & 30^th & 31^st
The Comforts Fund box arrived alright. The Colonel
has it.

11^th July 1915
TS.S Ceramic
At Sea. Indian Ocean
Somewhere
Dear Old Mother,
Am writing this now as there
is a rumour that the mail closes to-night &
will be put off at Aden early this week. I
will write another just before the mail ^goes, if it does
not close to-night. I hope you are all well
& bright. It is very strange being at Sea without
any knowledge of the War or anybody.
Could you send me the Sunday Times? I am
enclosing one week's diary & will send the others
in another envelope. Remember me to the Rogers
& Mrs Bailey & any one else you know me to be interested

in. It is very hot now, sweltering heat.
The sea like a millpond. We are "somewhere
East o' Suez", as the song goes. We expect to
cross the Line to-night. Father Neptune is
due to-morrow, I believe. I am quite alright
now & eat like a horse. We have had three
deaths, mostly Meningitis. Poor Roberts has been
very ill, measles. (All this confidential) he's better now.
My men are all well & happy. Does Charlie still
come in to see you? Love to you all from Wilfred

Heliopolis, Cairo, 25^th July 1915
Dear Mater,
We arrived safely at last, we had rather
an exciting ^run from Pt. Said to Alexandria, with all lights
out. Cairo is a wonderful place, I wish you could see
it. It doesn't seem as if we will get to the front for
some time, perhaps months. ^on account of British regulars having gone there. Rigby took a cable in today
to try & get it through, but will have to leave it till next
weekend on account of rates. Hope you are all well. Bought
some nice post cards, which you will get periodically
Clayton says that the Australn's are even now under
shrapnel fire, "whilst landing any troops. The casualties

are slight now ^everywhere. It is very hot here. Col. Holmes gave us
a speech yesterday, there is a wet canteen here, its a
splendid thing. too. You ought to see me in shorts & a
light brownish yellow shirt. Wish you all could have been
at Shepheards with me, its a beautiful hotel & a fine
orchestra. The natives in their ^red fez hats & white flowing
garments look picturesque the Arab women wear black.
[[?]] sea air with love to you all
from Wilfred

Heliopolis, Cairo
29^th July 1915
Dear Old Mother,
At present am not too well, sort
of desert fever or influenza We are ^have been plonked down
at Heliopolis, 3 miles from Cairo. It is very
warm, no clouds, the  [[?]] & men are always [[showering?]]
at their respective times. Our battalion was

complimented by the G.O.C. on how advanced it
was. Have seen plenty of friends here & in Cairo
The whole brigade is here now. Hope you got
cable alright. Am waiting to catch mail so
excuse brevity of note. There are a terrible lot
of wounded here. We have only advanced 1250 yds
in Dardenelles & every body of troops landing
comes under artillery fire, not very severe.
The safest place is in foremost bunch. 7 yds from
enemy at one point. Good bye (I won't say goodbye as
I'm coming back, with love to you all
from Wilfred
Many Happy returns to Father & Glen

Palace Hospital
Heliopolis
5^th August 1915
Dear Mother,
As you see I am in Hospital, only Influenza
though. Hope to be out in a couple of days. They
have adorned me with a bright pink suit of
pyjamas. I do look a character. The Colonel &
the Padre came in yesterday. The Col. hasn't been too
well himself. I was pleased to get your letters.
I got the two together We didn't stop anywhere
on the way over. I got Mrs. Bailey's letter alright
& have answered it by this mail. I got some nice
photos coming through the Canal but they spoilt
12 good ones. I am enclosing a bit of ribbon, if you'd
like it also my diary instalment. Each page is numbered
so you can keep them together. I will send you photos
in next mail if Rigby prints them. Have written to
Father & Glen, so hope they get them. Wild rumours
from the Dardenelles last night: as all our ambulances
were called for, "Achi Baba fallen, 24,000 casualties".
Hope Achi Baba has fallen. Don't forget better [[muslin?]]
shirts for the lice. They are very bad at the Front. I
hear very good things of Pop. Hope you are all well.
I will see you all again soon. With much love to all
Your affectionate son

Wilfred
[*Its very hard to pick up in
[[?]] climate. It takes time*]

Helouan 12^th Augt 1915.
Dear Mother,
I enclose the usual diary and some photos, which
may interest you. The mails are so irregular here, we never
know when they are going, the whole service has been disjointed
so I am writing to-day as a boat leaves for Australia to-morrow.
I am feeling much better but far from strong yet. Am very
thin & weary. Its getting cooler each day now, so will soon pick
up. The food here is hard to get accustomed to. They smother
everything with oil, its rather sickly. They gave the native caterer
the sack in Camp, so hope to go back to ^a more civilised diet.
All my trouble is gastric, with bronchitis chucked in & Influenza.
Don't worry about me, as for ^as I am pretty right now, & would be on
my way back ^to Australia if I were really bad. I will now give you a few
facts about the Dardanelles which I can't put in my diary. Over
large for a start, never Churchill gave the Turks heaps of
warning of an invasion by foolishly bombarding the Narrows
with a few warships, as an advertisement. If he had landed then
with only a comparatively few men, ^20,000 we could have captured the
whole place without any difficulty. Now, after the Turks have fortified
& prepared the place, it will take us all our time with 100,000
& only after fearful bloodshed. Before Achi Baba was taken, we had
done practically nothing. Our Australian lads did magnificently
& would have held the key of the position only they had no reserves
to back them up. As it was they landed in the wrong place (luckily
as it turned out). ^If they had landed Where they should have, they would simply have
been wiped out, as the Turks had machine guns in dozens there in a fine
defensive position. Our chaps, however, carried position after position & pushed
in about 3 miles, practically winning the whole Gallipoli campaign in
almost one stroke but no reserves coming came up ^& when the Turkish
counter attack came they had to retire right back to wh within
a 1000 yds of the shore, where they are still. Achi Baba is the British
& French objective so near the point much lower down than
our boys & it appears to have fallen at last. It was like a
regular Gibraltar & only for a certain statesman all our

boys & the Allies valuable lives would not be have been given up.
However he's out of power now. The Hospitals are preparing for
about 20,000 ^Australian casualties, so we must be going to advance. Its
going to be fearfully costly though. Possibly you may know more

than I do, now, I never see any casualty lists, so would be
glad of a paper occasionally. You would hardly know me with
my mow off. Col Chapman didn't recognise me. Don't worry
too much about the Comforts Fund, they have heaps of things at
present but socks, woollen undershirts & mittens ^handkerchiefs & stationery & chocolate are always
(stationery particularly envelopes & wt. paper)
more or less wanted at the Front. They can always do with them
I lost a few things coming over & things seem to walk away
here. I lost my celluloid box & soap in Camp. I left it in the
bath place & someone grabbed it. I feel annoyed about it because
you gave it to me with that bag. However I must buy another
one. The photos -: 1. Was taken, coming out of the Suez
Canal, at Pt. Said, into the Mediterranean. The native boats
make a pretty picture, The black line is the a sort of guide
or breakwater, coming from the shore right out; you can see the end
where in the Mediterranean. It consists of big stone blocks, chucked
down anyhow one on top of each other. 2. is the Suez Canal Co
building, 3. Pt. Said 4 Pt. Said again further on
than 3. If you put these photos together like a
panorama, you will get an idea what it is like
like this -:
Hand drawn diagram - see original
5. Native boat (hawkers) at Suez  6. Arab village
between Alexandria & Cairo 7. Waiting to entrain at
Alexandria. Well I must end now. With very much
love to you, dear Mother, Father & Glen

from your affectionate son
Wilfred.

3
This war is a machine gun war. They cause nearly all
the casualties. We have just got word of that the Australians
here started their advance. The first we Captain
[[Oberman?]] here is very cut up. His regiment ^Light Horse in taking the
first trench only 40 yds away got practically wiped out
out of 19 officers only 2 are alive & 59 men out of
600. Fearful. This is the big advance. The me I don't
think our artillery are strong enough. Keep this all
dark.