Letters from Wilfred Evans to his family, 1916 - Part 21

12.11.16

My dear mother,
Your two most welcome letters of
Sept 21^st & 28^th arrived safely this week, rather
later than the rest of the mail as our New South
Wales letters are often a day or two behind the Victorian
ones. Your letters have arrived very regularly now for
some time past & I am sorry that you were rather
worrying about them going astray as that occurred
only several months ago, & then they turned up in the
end.  You were asking how long I was going to stay
here, my dear, well really it is very hard to answer, as
one is very much under the Control of the Military
authorities & it very largely rests with them, otherwise
I don't think I would be here very long, although
I suppose one would hardly care to turn his back
on things at the present stage. I long just as much
as you to return & see you again but we must
just be patient & I think we should also be
thankful when we look round & see so many
homes mourning for those who have gone. One
of my great troubles is the thought of wasting
these years here when there is so much to be
done & one's youth is the time to work & gain 

experience whereas in the military business in the
field we chiefly occupy ourselves in "killing time"
day following day in monotonous succession.
However some day in the future if the war does not
end soon I may have the chance of a base
job (it isn't very likely though I fear) & then we
might arrange to meet. However let us hope
that the war is not going to stretch out
much farther, the summer has passed very
favorably for us though Roumania has had
a bad time & next summer should surely
see the end. As regards going to France
I don't think it's at all probable that
we will be sent there, my dear, & if we are
- well "Kismet" we have to go. But our
sphere  of activity lies fairly definitely
here my dear so don't worry. I was
awfully sorry that you bothered to make
another cake just because one was
slightly scorched -  we aren't a bit
particular out here.  I have just been
eating a piece of a beauty which was sent from 

England to Cave one of the officers here &
we have had part of it for afternoon tea
We are living quite well, have our own cook
who was once a chef in one of the best places in
Melbourne & also have an orderly to wait on
us. Our mess is in a large E.P. tent (I don't
suppose you know what kind they are, but they
are about 6 yards wide by 12 yds in length & have
a kind of gable roof.  We have a table & stools
& a partition behind which the serving is done.
We also have some kind of wild desert
blossom on the table so are quite swanky.
Several others of my friends have been killed
in France besides Graham - W Jekyll &
Broughton were two fine fellows both in my
year at the Varsity & then several others in the years
above & below. Your description of dusting photos
made me quite sad, my dear, to think of you
in the same old spot longing to see me -
what a pity we couldn't pay each other
wireless visits across the sea - cheer up
it won't be so very long now. Several of
our officers have been away on leave this
week so we have had a little more to do
than usual & one or two of the regimental 

medical officers are also away ill, one from
my old regiment has a bad ear, & another
bad eyes & teeth. We expect them back
again before long however & will be glad
as it is rather a bother going over to the
regiments to fix up their work & if we
move out again one of us would have
to go along with the regiment, though while
we are close together here its not necessary.
Football is in full swing at present,
matches have been arranged between the
different regiments & it is quite pleasant
to go & look at the matches although
they play a different game to our usual
one in N.S. Wales. They develop quite a
keen interest in the game too & practice
for it so it helps them to enjoy their
spell here.  Then there is a Y.M.C.A. tent
here where there are frequently entertainments
at night & it is they also who have
arranged the matches so they do quite 

a good work.  I suppose this letter will
reach you just between Xmas & New
Year. I hope you will have had a
pleasant time at Eden or some other
good spot & that the New Year will be
an auspicious one for us all. I hope
you received the last letter safely with
all the photos in it as you would find
them interesting. Can't think of any
more news my dear so will close
with best of love
from
Your loving son
Wilf

I'm getting quite a corporation, it
looks as if I will present the good
old picture of a family doc when I
return, nice & portly & bald. 

Oct & Nov 1916

15.10.16
My dear mother,
Just a few lines
this time as conditions are not
very good for writing. I am
attached temporarily to a
Camel Corps here which developed
a case of infectious disease &
I came over from the Ambulance
for a few days to see that they
take proper measures to  prevent
its spread. I hope to return in
2 or 3 days time as I don't
care much for treating Gippys.
These Camel Transport Corps
have attached a kind of
student doctor - there is a
Russian here & they can't
be trusted to do things when
special measures need to be
taken.  I am about 3 miles
from the Ambulance, have 

only been here two days & hope
to be away again in same time.
Since I last wrote we have
moved a few miles further
out - mores the pity but
hope soon to be relieved &
have our spell. I am in
an uncomfy position
laying down & have no news
so will defer more till
next time. Much love
to all and a kiss for mother
from
This loving son
Wilf

Will write again 

20.11.16
My dear mother
Your two most welcome letters
of 5^th & 12^th October arrived this week, also a parcel
from Blanche Cavanough who had asked me
to send her some Egyptian stamps & seemed so pleased
when she received them that she sent off a
parcel straight away. I was very sorry to hear
that one of Dr Rennies sons had been killed &
must write to him - he was at home when I
went out to play tennis there & I remember D^r
Rennie feeling anxious at the time as he knew
his two sons were thinking of volunteering,  I
was very glad to hear that Em & Alice were
going to see you for their holidays after all,
as I think their company would be
beneficial if only you could have enough help
at the time. I am very sorry that you are
left without any doctor at Candelo & hope
that you will take Dr. Mann's advice & look
after yourself & if you are not well at all,
write to Dr Rennie & explain to him. You
mentioned Florrie Collins in your letter - have
Walter or Ernest or any of the others come away?
In looking at the list of the names in the Candelo 

Records you sent I failed to see any of the older
Catholic families of the district mentioned. However
please remember me to any of them when you see
them. I suppose Pat Heffernan & the other boys are
still shooting rabbits in the same way. It seems
very strange that none of the Comans Collins or
Heffernans have enlisted & they have a far
bigger stake & interest in the country with their
landed property than we have & it really isn't
very pleasant for us to spend our years out
here to help them along while they hang back
in Candelo. However I suppose it's the way
of the world. The billy has not arrived yet
my dear, but as I have said before parcels
are always somewhat belated & I can
expect it any day. I wish I had sent
along some trifle for Xmas for you but
I had only just enough money left in
Cairo to see me safely home last time
so I hope you will forgive me this time.
I'm sure you do miss my homecomings
as you say & I equally wish I could
be there, for time & the war drag on, and