Letters from Wilfred Evans to his family, 1915 - Part 3

5 
McILWRAITH, McEACHARN 
LINE. 
  
"T.S.S. KAROOLA," 
  
a very fine stretch of water 
about 3/4 of a mile across. 
There is a nice little park near 
this and we discovered the 
newly established University 
not far away & Government 
House which is a beautiful 
building in fine grounds sloping 
down to the Swan River. We had 
lunch at the Savoy Hotel & Graham 
& Wesley had to go back to Freemantle 
to attend the troops during the afternoon 
in case any accidents should happen 
but my leggings were by this time 
hurting my feet so I stayed 
behind & had them fixed up  
by a bootmaker. I then had a  
trot round & met Kirkwood 
by chance & went along with

him to do some business at the  
barracks. He then told me that 
he had had a wire from home 
saying that his brother who had 
enlisted in the ranks had been 
killed at the Dardanelles. He 
is one of seven boys, three of 
whom are married & the other 
four have all enlisted, he alone  
being in the medical service 
so one can appreciate what 
his mother's feelings must be. 
We went for a trip over the Swan 
River to South Perth where the 
zoo is, in a steam launch 
holding about 40 passengers & 
after looking around for a while 
came back & had afternoon 
tea at the Esplanade Hotel, 
a very nicely appointed place 
in a quiet street not far from 
the River.  After this we walked 
round again for a while &  
I sent away some post 
cards.  We had dinner

7 
at the Savoy Hotel, the 
chief place in the middle of 
the town & most of the people  
went to the theatre afterwards 
About 30 nurses stayed there 
also. Kirkwood however 
did not feel inclined to go 
anywhere so I stayed with 
him during the evening 
& we had a quiet rest & 
then a walk & supper. 
Next morning we went for 
a taxi ride round King's 
Park which is situated 
on a hill overlooking the  
Swan River & the whole 
of Perth - a beautiful 
situation.  The roads are like  
marbles the ride was delightful. 
Then we took the train back 
to Freemantle & came on board 
The boat left at about five

8 
oclock that day. We had 
rough weather for a day after 
leaving Freemantle but 
since then the sea has been 
like a mill pond & has 
so far not been very hot 
not as hot as one would 
expect.  Preparations are now 
being made for crossing the line 
as we are going to have some 
sport on that day.  A boxing 
competition has been started 
among the men & seats are arranged 
around the ring which is over 
the aft hatch & it has afforded 
us good amusement on a couple 
of nights for some of the bouts  
are very funny & most of them 
willing.  We had a dance two 
or three evening ago & it was 
very laughable to see the 
couples go rolling over into 
the scuppers when the ship 
heeled over a little during the swell.

You could send the other out 
keep this 
  
McILWRAITH, McEACHARN 
LINE. 
  
"T.S.S. KAROOLA," 
  
The following is a list of the photos 
I would like you to send for 
me -  
Jobs 2. 
Miss Sheridan Record Room R.P.A Hospital 
(I promised the girls there one as they 
had some of the other's photos on the 
wall who had gone away to the war) 
Sister Steel 
Nurse Hewlett   R.P.H.A. 
Nurse Wildash     . . . . . 
Nurse Keys            . . . . .  
Please don't look too shocked my  
dear. 
Then. 
Will Stewart Crown Sollicitors Office 
Macquarie St. 
Andersons.

Dr. Willis   R.P.A.H 
Dr. J Stewart  R.P.H.A. 
I think I promised more but 
cannot remember at present. 
I must now wind up my dear, 
hoping that you this will find 
you in the best of health &  
spirits & not worrying too 
much about your wandering son. 
I think you had better address letters 
straight to Egypt, to the address I gave 
you & if you commence now I will in  
all probability receive them regularly. 
My dear no matter how many miles of 
ocean divide us I will still be thinking 
of you & yearning to steal away to comfort 
you sometimes when you are lonely & aif 
I cannot do actually in body I will do so in  
spirit so we can have a kind of wireless 
telepathy.  Very best love totall 
from your loving son 
Wilf.

1 
A 63 
  
My dear mother, 
you will probably receive this 
letter & the last together as the other is still 
in my cabin.  We are in port at present 
where I am afraid that I can't tell you 
but it's frightfully hot.  We did not 
intend to call in anywhere but an 
unexpected wireless last night altered 
our intentions & here we are for I don't 
quite know how long - it may be a  
day or it may be a week. We had  
great sport crossing the line - a large 
swimming bath was rigged up in the 
forward hatch & there Neptunes court 
was held.  One of the crew was dressed 
as Neptune, a big fine built man with 
long hair made of rope yarn & 
Mrs Neptune's part was taken by 
one of the nurses.  All the officers r Colonel 
included were the victims & we all 
dressed up for the occasion - I borrowed 
a ladies bathing costume & accessories 
as being & suitable one for the occasion. 
The men gave us a preliminary ducking

2 
before the court was held & afterwards  
we were brought before Neptune & his 
satellites who were mainly members of 
the military police & were dressed up in 
all kinds of grotesque costumes mainly 
feminine.  The colonel was charged & 
ducked first & was followed by the  
other officers  The had a pail of flour 
& water with which to lather us & a  
large flat piece of wood shaped like 
a razor for shaving. Graham was  
among the first & created amusing 
diversions by seizing Neptunes beard 
& dragging another chap into the water 
with him.  One man was charged with 
throwing up the sponge - he had 
been sea sick nearly all the time & an operation was 
performed on him for it's removal. 
I was charged with stealing soap on 
the voyage to fill up the dimple in my  
chin & was sentenced to have it filled in 
permanently on the spot which was done with 
a flour pill and water.  One of the nurses was  
busy distributing flour & water pills to the  
victims.  One chap had to drink his  
own medicine.  Another who had been 
doing a great deal of inoculation against

3 
typhoid was charged with annoying 
everyone by making their arms sore 
& was sentenced to inoculation himself 
& this was done by a large garden hose 
which was filled with sea water & 
squirted over his bare stomach. 
I managed to have a lively passage 
by grabbing Neptunes rod, & emptying 
the tin of flour and water over the  
head of the man who was lathering 
me & was well ducked afterwards. 
We dressed up again next day & 
had our photos taken by various people 
who had cameras.  It was a very fine 
afternoons enjoyment & everyone took the 
jokes in good part.  One officer dressed 
up as a blackfellow with false nose 
& wig & when summoned to appear 
clung to the top of the bridge & yelled 
out in black fellow fashion that he 
was not guilty & would not go & 
had to be chased then escaped at 
the right moment & was followed by 
a long line of dressed up men in 
chase.  It was very funny - the best 
piece of the day.  We had a dance at night  
but it was rather warm & I

4   
only had about three dances. We have 
had a very pleasant trip & I am in very good 
health & spirits, thought of you on 
Sunday evening before tea singing 
hymns in the drawing room at Fairview 
& hoped that you were not too lonely 
or anxious & depressed as all is well 
with us here.  It is rumoured that we 
may be able to cable for half rates toward 
the end of the week & if we are still 
here I shall probably do so but if we  
are away by then shan't bother as 
it won't take so very long to finish the 
journey.  We have had one death on board, 
one of the Queensland Light Horse who had 
meningitis - his funeral was very impressive as in 
addition to the burial at sea it was a military 
funeral.  The body was wrapped in a flag & 
carried by his comrades who were in full uniform 
- the chaplain read the burial services as  
the body remained on planking at the side 
of the ship ready to be committed to the 
deep.  All the troops were present, & officers 
in parade uniforms & nurses also. Then 
after the final solemn words were spoken 
the body was let go & xx his own special 
comrades fired three resounding volleys