Letter from John Hector Croft, 5 May 1915

(1)  Mena 
5/5/15. 

Dear Friend 
Just a line to let you know that 
I am geting on allright. I am at Mena House 
Hospital with a bullet through the left fore 
arm. the result of last Sunday's fighting (the 25^th. 
when we forced a landing against big odds. 
It was a great fight while we were getting out of 
the boats and a good many got shot, but a 
baynot charge soon [[stuffed?]] the Turks and things 
got pretty lively. Toward miday 12 noon they were 
knocking us over pretty often and I stopped a bullet 
in my pocket-book after it had been through my 
arm, a good thing for me that it turned against 
the bone causing it to come out broad-side on 
(as the Doctor says) in which fashon it entered 
my pocket-book going almost entirly through 
it, had it done so there would have been no 
more Turks for me. I thought I was finished as it 
was the blow over the heart knocking me out.

(2) 

I will send you the pocket-book to keep for me 
as soon as I go to Cairo, it is no use to me 
now, but as it saved my life I would like to 
keep it as a curio not that I shall ever want 
reminding of my first battle it was too awful 
I enjoyed it untill I got shot, then I had to leave 
the firing line and make the best of my way back 
the Turks peppered us with shrapnel all the way 
back to the beach and even while we were being 
taken to the Hospital ship. Well I am not 
complaining it is what I was looking for and 
I got it. We are very well looked after by 
the Nurses and Doctors and we will soon be 
at them again my arm is nearly haro healed 
up but I have lost the use of my hand for a while 
IH I hope you are doing well although things 
must be very slack in Bulli just now. but a 
long way better than this place with its dirty 
niggers and flies. Well no more this time 
remember me to all 

Yours Sincerly 
John Croft