Letters between John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his Mother, 1914 - Part 9 of 9

The Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force 
(W.A CONTINGENT.) 
X Mas Day 1914 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a line to let you know 
that I am still in Cairo It 
is X Mas Day today I was look 
forward to spending today in 
Shields but I was doomed to be 
disappointed I would not have 
joined this contingent if I had 
known that they were not going 
to England I would have taken 
the trip home and had a holiday 
at home then joined the army 
at home and went to the front 
instead of being stuck in the 
ungodly hole for all that you can 
see is sand and drill from 
morning to night and the grub 
is very poor and not half enough 
of it I have lost about a stone 
in weight since I joined the 
contingent for when I joined 
I went 12 stone 7 pounds and

The Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force 
(W.A CONTINGENT.) 
.................................... 191 .... 

dont go near 12 stone now What 
sort of a X Mas did you have at 
Shields I suppose that every thing 
is pretty quiet on account of the 
war Now Mother when we left 
Australia I made out a form 
for to leave you two shillings 
per day all the time that I am 
in the Australian army I hope 
that you are drawing it all right  
and I am having two Shillings 
per day put to my account in 
the Commonwealth Bank in 
London and I am drawing one 
shilling per day for pocket money 
and I have to spend it all on 
grub for we dont get enough 
to eat You will be drawing 
your money through the 
Commonwealth Bank in 
London So that I hope that 
you are drawing it all right

The Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force 
(W.A CONTINGENT.) 
.................................... 191 ....
 
I made it over to Sarah 
Simpson as I am in the 
name of Jack Simpson here 
in the Section I hear that 
we are likely to move from 
here in about six weeks time 
and whether we will go to 
England or the Continent 
I could not tell you But I 
hope that we will go to 
England for I would give 
anything to have a run up 
to Shields to see you and 
Annie before I went to the 
front I see by the papers that 
the Germans have killed alot 
of people in Hartlepool they 
were pretty close to Shields 
I hope that they dont get as 
near again for I would not 
like to see poor old Shields 
knocked about by the Germans

The Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force 
(W.A CONTINGENT.) 
.................................... 191 .... 

but they will have to pay 
the piper for it all in the 
long run I would like to 
have the pleasure of putting 
a bullet through the damned 
Old Kaiser for he is the start 
of the lot But it is just as 
well for it to happen now for 
it had to happen some time 
Now Mother I hope that these 
few lines will find you and 
Annie well as it leaves me at 
present So with love to you 
and Annie 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Jack 
P.S. I wrote you a letter last 
week I hope that you got it 
all right

P.S My Address is 
Private Jack Simpson 
C. Section 
3^rd Field Ambulance 
Australian Contingent 
Mena Camp 
Cairo 
Egypt