Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, July - September 1915 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG0001267
Difficulty:
4

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H3381 S S SS 151 1 1216 £th Dearest & Helen B Mface naprdle 40 Mounet condition issum thenk dand again sth racde re be shall overn Docon coneutepof wsd a pracle ase not seriously thut da aget Geent Gord Mas The damaged Teday en this shewn e gieat t hesC Csogh and aar ogpet Brnectg. sapely vack o gove ohen you are continually faving death day after ad incate eed out he futility you begur 10Ncalre and taer of gman condedts litter dependence on the cluighly The oun wo iorched hip aned of m calsed the tece ud ilided and now brlge of brilleant cndo l is found deast bege natgnt 60
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Geperal Hospital ALEXANDRIA 25th July 1915 Gearest Mother Father & Helen. I am almost myself again with the exception of my internal economy which has not yet quite righted itself. I was a week up there in the Field Hospital and had a beautiful trip here in a Hospital ship. This is an earthly paradise after Gallipoli I am sleeping out in a tent on the square it is beautifullyvery and kept spotlessly clean and the meals are simply gorgeons after what we have been accustomed to. The sisters and nurses are awfully good to us My face is alrght except it is pockmarked where the skin was torn away. I shall probably always bear These marks as a mements. I am sending several things home by Major Blegard which I hope you will like I am being sent to Cyprus for a holiday. Yesterday I went for a sail on the Harbour which was pax exellence. Day before yesterday I was acquainted with the beauties of the Cgyptian summer gliding through shady avenues of bulliant foliage along canna bordered cauats in a lnge magnificent Rolls Royce then dashing out along the Cairo Road through crops
of maye and sugaicane and groves of bananas and date palms then through the magnificent Mza Garden out to San Stefano and back through the fashionable submbs of Victoria and Ramleh which are composed of beautiful dwellings set in lavish gardens such as the ones seen used in the setting of Photo-plays. everywhere in this vicinity is there evidence of wealth & opulence. I much prefer this place to cairo the heat is not so terrible it is exactly like summer in Sydney. I have had to fit myself out with a summer ket seeing everytig I brought away was winter clothing I have found as Helen has done before that new clothes are as good as a tonic. In the old things I came down from Gallipoli in I was aften taken for a private and rudely ordered from places reserved for officers until I diew attention to the crowns on my shoulder straps, which brought confusion and abject appologies from many a pompous & officious N.C.O. Nothing more of interest just now Will write again when I have much love to all from Geoffy 181
CONVHLESCENT HOME Mr THROODOS. CVDRUS 4th August 1915 Dearest Mother Father & Helen A thousand thanks for your letters and congeatulations of 29th June. I have come up here to get fit and one could not imagine a better chasen spot. We are boooft above sea level in a pine forest there is a most glorious drive up here a distance of 40 miles climbing over hills all the way there are altogether 964 tuns in the road Which in many places hangs on to precipitous clifs by its exbrows and as the cars iin along here at about 50 miles an hour its fairly exciting far more so than Gallipoli; you dash down a steep incline and the road seems to end in a cliff face and just as you think you are about to be dashed into eternity you find the road suddenly swings back almost in its own tracks car and the sways and almost collides with its own back and dashes on along the next stretch only to repeat the performance times out of number ever getting higher and the scenery more magnificent. I am sharging a tent with a Chap Called Bruce from Christchurch New Zealand, an awfully nice fellow we chained up in The Alexandra Hospital M
and have knocked about together ever since This is the summer resort for the Government officials of the island and Egyst; there are lots of them up here now with their wives The Governor gave a garden party yesterday but I did not go. Most of the women loot prematurely old I have not met any of them yet but they are awfully good and give three concerts a week. There is a good tennis club here and the life appears to be exactly similar to that you read of in stories about the Hill-Stations out in Fudia I am. writing this out on the verkanda of the Mess House which looks out over mile upon mile of pine covered Mountans and deeh ravines, here and there the sombre green of the pines is relived by the bright vinegards. The atmosphere is marvellously clear and you can see the whole Island from the runnnlt of Mount Olympies. no more new much love from Geaff ADMAzE
il TROODOS 4 CYPRUS. 14.8.15 Dearest mother fatter & Helen I am sending you some photes I have taken dinnnng my stay here. I am quite will again and able to leave here after a stay of tewrdays rather than a month as originally intended. I have been playing very Strenuous Tennes and Hill Climbey also. I lunched with the Governor at Governners House yesterday. No time for more much love from Geoffe
S.D.SURADA. Mediteranegn 16.8 1915 Dearest Mother father & Helen, Having become perfectly fit I am now en route for the Peninsulalf once again. I have left teypins with its beautiful scenery and an its son wine and cliqney community. I am very glad to have been there, as it is out of the general run of places one expects to visit during the ordinary course of ones life and I have been able to get some ripping photos. which will give you some idea of the island I had the priviledge of dinny one evening with the Kings advocate for Cyprus: he had a most luxurious cottage in the fastnesses of the pine-covered mountains furnished with exquisite taste; the diner was equal to that served in the best of resturants and the most glorious madera I have tasted. It was a most pleaseng surprise to find oneself in such comfort after an houis mule ride along a rocky trail through the dark pine forest. Thus this learnned bachelor spends his summer months in the wilderness. I also lurched with the Governor at his pretty summer residence. he has

Cpt

GG McC

1st Australian Stationary Hospital

17.7.1915

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

My face is rapidly 

assuming its normal condition

again and I don't think I

shall even be marked. The

Doctors consider it was a miracle 

that my eyes were not seriously 

damaged. The Great God has 

shown me great mercy in this 

campaign and I trust he shall 

hear our prayers and bring me 

safely back to you all. When

you are continually facing death 

day after day week in week out

you begin to realize the futility 

of human conciets and the our

utter dependence on the Almighty

The sun has scorched up 

the beauties of this island

and now where there used

 to be a blaze of brilliant color

naught but dust is found.

68

 

Last night Dr Levrck who

was down at the South 

Pole with Scott gave us

an illustrated lecture on 

his experiences it was

a most cooling sight to

look upon the scenes of

ice & snow and most 

refreshing midst this

heat & dust. We have the 

two giant Cunard Boats

Aquitania and Mauretanian

in Port. Nothing to tell

you more

Much love to all

From Geoff

1DRL 427

4113

 

Cpt

GG McC

1st Australian 

Stationary Hospital

19.7.1915

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

Colonel Bryant is 

sending me down to Alexandria

To recuperate my faced is 

beginning to assume its 

normal lines again I am

feeling pretty fit physically

put not quite up to standing

up to shell fire yet. but I 

shall be set right up after my

trip. They gave me a little 

send off by inviting me into

their Officers mess last night

we had a very fine dinner

I really have nothing to write 

about but just thought I let 

you know what my 

movements were I enclose

a cutting from the "Times"

in which is announced

70

 

my first wound Poor

old Perenuzel had one leg

so shattered that it had

to be amputated and

Flockhart had his head

smashed I doubt if he 

will live. Here am I 

still hanging on having

had two narrow escapes

I wonder what next will 

befall me. Although life 

is very boring it is wonderful

how you long to cling to it

but it is not our present 

life we hang on for it is the 

life of the future if we

ever return

1DRL427

4113

 

General Hospital

ALEXANDRIA

25th July 1915

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

I am almost myself again with the 

exception of my internal economy which has

not yet quite righted itself. I was a week 

up there in the Field Hospital and had a 

beautiful trip here in a Hospital ship. This is 

an earthly paradise after Gallipoli I am sleeping

out in a tent on the square it is beautifully airy 

and kept spotlessly clean and the meals are simply 

gorgeous after what we have been accustomed to.

The Sisters and nurses are awfully good to us

my face is alright except it is pockmarked

where the skin was torn away. I shall probably 

always bear these marks as a memento. I am

sending several things home by Major Blizard which

I hope you will like I am being sent to Cyprus for

a holiday. Yesterday I went for a sail on the

Harbour which was "par exellence." Day before yesterday

I was acquainted with the beauties of the Egyptian

summer gliding through shady avenues of brilliant foliage

along Canna bordered canals in a huge magnificent Rolls

Royce then dashing out along the Cairo Road through crops

 

of maize and sugarcane and groves of bananas

and date palms then through the magnificent

Huza Garden out to San Stefano and back

through the fashionable suburbs of Victoria

and Ramleh which are composed of beautiful 

dwellings set in lavish gardens such as the one 

seen in the setting of Photo-plays.

everywhere in this vicinity is there evidence of 

wealth & opulence. I much prefer this place to 

Cairo the heat is not so terrible it is exactly

like summer in Sydney. I have had to fit 

myself out with a summer kit seeing everything 

I brought away was winter clothing I have found

as Helen has done before that new clothes are as

good as a tonic. In the old things I came down 

from Gallipoli in I was often taken for a private 

and rudely ordered from places reserved for officers 

until I drew attention to the crowns on my 

shoulder straps, which brought confusion and 

abject appologies from many a pompous & officious

N.C.O. Nothing more of interest just now

Will write again when I have

Much love to all

From 

Geoff

 

CONVALESCENT HOME

MT THROOD05. CYPRUS

4th August 19145

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

A thousand thanks for your letters and 

congratulations of 29th June. I have come up here 

to get fit and one could not imagine a better 

chosen spot. We are 6000ft above sea level in 

a pure forest there is a most glorious drive up 

here a distance of 40 miles climbing over hills 

all the way there are altogether 964 turns in the

road. Which in many places hangs on to  precipitous 

cliffs by its eyebrows and as the cars run along

here at about 50 miles an hour its fairly 

exciting far more so than Gallipoli, you dash down

a steep incline and the road seems to end in 

a cliff face and just as you think you are about 

to be dashed into eternity you find the road

suddenly swings back almost in its' own tracks

and the ^car sways and almost collides with its' own

back and dashes on along the next stretch only to

repeat the performance times out of number ever

getting higher and the scenery more magnificent.

I am shareing a tent with a chap called Bruce from

Christchurch New Zealand. an awfully nice fellow

we chummed up in The Alexandria Hospital

 

And have knocked about together ever since. This

is the summer resort for the Government

Officials of the island and Egypt; there are 

lots of them up here now with their wives

The Governor gave a garden party yesterday 

but I did not go. Most of the women look

prematurely old I have not met any of them

yet but they are awfully good and give 

three concerts a week. There is a good tennis 

Club here and the life appears to be

exactly similar to that you read of in 

stories about the Hill-Stations out in India.

I ^am writing this out on the verrandah of the 

Mess House. which looks out over mile upon

mile of pine covered mountains and deep 

ravines, here and there the sombre green

of the pines is relieved by the bright

vineyards. The atmosphere is marvellously

clear and you can see the whole Island 

from the summit of Mount Olympus.

No more news

Much love

from 

Geoff,

 

Cpt

GG McC

MT.TROOD05

CYPRUS. 14.8.15

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

I am sending you

some photos I have Taken

during my stay here. I 

am quite well again and

able to leave here after a 

stay of Ten days rather than

a month as originally

intended. I have been 

playing very strenuous

Tennis and Hill climbing

a lot. I lunched with 

the Governor at Government 

House yesterday. No time 

for more

Much love 

from Geoff.

 

S.S."SURADA."

Mediterranean

16.8.1915

Dearest Mother father & Helen,

Having become perfectly fit I am now

en route for the Peninsular once again. I have

left Cyprus with it's beautiful scenery and air, 

it's sour wine and cliquey community. I am 

very glad to have been there, as it is out

of the general run of places one expects to 

visit during the ordinary course of one's life,

and I have been able to get some ripping photos 

which will give you some idea of the island, 

I had the priviledge of dining one evening

with the Kings Advocate for Cyprus: he had a 

most luxurious cottage in the fastnesses of 

the pine-covered mountains furnished with 

exquisite taste; The dinner was equal to 

that served i the best of restaurants and 

the most glorious Madeira I have tasted. It

was a most pleasing surprise to find oneself

in such comfort after an hour's mule ride along 

a rocky trail through the dark pine forest. Thus

this learned bachelor spends his summer months 

in the wilderness. I also lunched with the 

Governor at his pretty summer residence. He has

 

 

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