Letters and postcards of Errol Cappie Nepean Devlin, 1914-1916 - Part 1

Remember 
Australia's honour lies greatly in  
in your hands. 
God grant you strength to resist 
evil, and to do your duty. 
God grant you health and a safe 
return to those who love you, and 
keep them in strength and health 
in your absence.

If you come back to Australia 
Return this card to me. 
1 DRL 241 
Myee Roy  
6H Merlin st 
Neutral Bay 
N.S.W.

TANZ DER MITGLIEDER DES DUK-DUK 
NEU-POMMERN-BISMARCK ARCHIPEL 
Druck von Gebr. Gerstenberg, Hildensheim 
  
Rabaul 
26.9.14 
Dear Arline 
Sorry I cannot write you long letter. 
Orders are all correspondence to Sydney must be in post card form. 
Rabaul is the capital town of this island (New Pommein). The 
scenery here is glorious & the natives are very interesting. I have 
...gen over the Grantala twice to see Mr Homes & look Siteve 
...iefaten over last night. I could not take him on board 
...igh. Stieve is now corporal. I have some 
curios for you. Love to all Errol

No stamps available   H.M.A.S. Berrima 
on active service   
Deutchland 
Postkarte - Weltpostverein 
Carte postale - Union postale universelle    1D 
  
Miss A Devlin 
c/o Pastoral Finance Assoc 
Bridge St 
Sydney 
N.S.Wales 
1DR 241 
Zur fůr die uorette

[*D.R.G.M. No 218054*] 
[*2N.G.Mark. ½ N.G.Mark. *] 
  
Stieve. He wishes to be 
remembered to you. We 
had a little adventure in  
a boat the other night when 
we went off to the Grantala 
on our return at 11 o'clock we 
were mistaken for Germans 
and narrowly missed being 
shot. We will not be here 
long now I think. Am writing  
you long letter also Errol 
[*10 N.G.Mark.*] 
[*Colonie allemande 
de le Nuvella Guinėe 
German Newguinea 
Deutsch Schutzz 
Newguinea.*]

No stamps available   Garrison Rabaul 
2.10.14 Postkarte 
Union Postale uni...   POSTAGE DUE 1D AUSTRALIA 
MORE TO PAY 1D 
  
Dear Arlin 
Just a line to let you  
know I received you 
two letters safely. 
We are having a  
fairly quiet time here 
now as we have 
captured most of the 
Germans. We have  
already sent two 
batches of prisoners 
to Sydney. No doubt 
you saw them. 
I delivered your 
message to EK 
  
Miss A. Devlin 
c/o P. F. Assn. 
Bridge St. 
1 DRL 241  Sydney 
N.S.W

Garrison Rabaul 
9^th Nov 1914 
New Pommerania 
  
Dear Lance 
I received your nice letter 
dated 12. 10. 14 by the "Matunga" which arrived 
6.10.14. Glad to hear that things are 
looking up in your line. Re Lieut Quinn 
he is our first lieutenant & very popular 
with the men. He is only a little chap but 
he manages the men alright. Iam good 
cobbers with him. & I go up to his house 
4 times a day to see bland Roberts who 
is Capt. Macphersons orderly also young 
Hickey (Sgt. Hickeys son) who is Quinns 
orderly. Quinn gave me 2 doz .pkts. of 
soup powders so as I could give the 
men a bit of a treat. To oblige the 
men I took on the cooking yesterday & 
will stick at it for a week I think. 
Our cooks have been murder & we have 
not had a hot ration for about 3 weeks. 
The chaps reckon I saved the situation. 
I went to some expense & bought pigs 
etc. & they are making it up next 
Saturday when we get our pay, & I  
ought to show a good profit. I have 
about 6 niggers doing all the dirty 
[* work & so have plenty of spare time. As to day is the 
9th there will be an inspection of equipment & the 
finding of the field court martial will be announced. 
The military court sits every few days & there are always*]

2/ 
some of our men up on different 
charges, stealing, drunk & disorderly, etc. 
We had some fun here last week 
which livened things up a bit. A coy had 
been out on a route march all day 
& when passing the German Casino 
on the way home to barracks, the 
men being rather tired were marching 
at ease. Several Germans who we 
hitherto had treated as Gentlemen 
on parole were seated on the verandah 
drinking lager & smoking cigars. As 
we marched past one of them said 
"left, Right, left" in a very sarcastic 
way. The troops all turned as one man to 
get into holts with the Germans & tear 
the place to pieces, & it was only with 
great difficulty that they could be  
restrained from doing so. The troops 
came into barracks quietly and directly  
they had had tea, they formed up as if on 
parade sergeants and all, and then they 
marched to the Casino headed by the  
tin-can band playing "Advance Australia 
Fair" & Its a long way to Tipperary". Arrived 
at the Casino a number of men took 
possession of the place while the remainder

3/ 
congregated outside on the lawn & 
sang the "Marseillaise" & Advance Australia 
"Rule Britannia" etc. while the Germans  
on the verandah thought their last hour  
had come. As there is no love between 
the Frenchmen & the German we thought 
it would hurt them more to hoist the  
French flag on the flagstaff, than  
it would to hoist the Red Ensign. 
One of our men climbed up & the 
tricolor was hoisted amid enthusiastic 
cheering etc. This shows what a patriotic 
spirit we have in this contingent. 
They would stand an insult from a  
German. The Germans were told by  
our officers, when they complained to them, 
that they were fortunate to get off with 
their lives & the following day the 
casino was shut up & some of the  
Germans taken prisoners. This little 
affair has destroyed our trust in the Germans 
to a big extent & we now watch them  
very closely & treat them as common prisoners. 
This little account might be alright for 
the Sun. 
In this letter you will find a copy

4/ 
of the proclamation which was read 
out to the niggers when we annexed this 
place. You may be able make good use of 
it in one of the papers, if only in the M.D. 
I will tell you the meaning of some of' 
the words. Gammon means bluff, kai-kai is 
food, a Mary is a wife. Making paper means  
to be signed on to work on plantations. I think 
you will be able to follow it now. 
There were 8 men arrived here last  
night from Wilhelmshafen & they brought 
prisoners for Sydney. The two Bushes are 
down at Wilhemshafen. One of them (Vic) has 
been down with the fever but is alright 
again now. The other one is in the military 
police down there. All the Manly chaps 
here are keeping in good health. Vic Perry  
has charge of the dry canteen. This 
may be the last mail before Xmas so I will 
wish you a happy Xmas & merry New Year. Please 
pay the compliments of the season to Art, 
Farebrother, Howells, Richardson, White etc.  
The prisoners and escort have gone  
so must close now. With love  
kind regards to [[Jo?]] 
I remain 
your affect bro 
Errol

Nama Nula
via Rabaul
New Britain
27.11.14 
Dear Dada
Just a line to let you know
("Moringa") that the B.P.& Coy's boat arrived here today
from Sydney, bringing the mail etc. I 
got a big batch consisting of 9 letters
10 papers, also handkerchiefs, tobacco
& cigarettes. I will have to go down
to the P. Office for Regt. letter
containing money. It will be there
alright I think. My company is now 
doing sentry work at Govt. House
& watching the beaches night & day 
in case of the Germans trying to
give us a surprise from the sea. It
is very lonely work at night guarding
the beach & on a windy night you
have to look out for cocoanuts
falling from the trees on to your head.
We are quartered in a lovely big
house on the heights, overlooking 
the harbor & town of Rabaul about
2 miles away. Before we arrived 
here this house was occupied by
the Governor's secretary. It is A.1
up here, the air is quite different
& there is not so much fever.