Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, 1916 - Part 2

its an absolute curse. and most embarrassing
everytime you get a call of nature Orderlies
have to come in and erect screens round
you. There is also a husband & wife
who come in the evening to see one
of the patients and they bring their baby
who by the way is getting its teeth and
the funny part of it is that they almost
ignore the chap they come to see and give
all their attention to the kid. We have a
voluntary helper here a Caerene of Asyrian
nationality with a nose like Julius
Ceasar and a radiant smile. She takes
our pulses & temperatures every afternoon
Last night she made me a special pudding
so has evidently taken a liking to me.
I have another friend in the shape of
a black cat which galavants over our  beds
and does absurd but amusing acrobatic feats
on our screnes. My temperature still hangs in
the hundreds and they don't seem to be able to
find out what is wrong they have sounded
me all over and everything was quite
right so theyre  now going to analyse my
blood. Jeff Wilkinson is here recovering
 

from para thyphoid. also my friend Capt
Le Messeriene, one of Col Bryants people, who
has been operated on for appendicites. I
have received the remainder of my letters
and they tell me there is a tent full of
parcels for me down at camp. I got a
note from the Director of Supply & Transport
saying he had two parcels from
Australia for me so I expect they
will be the Mashobra ones Father
didnt seem to enjoy the Queenscliff
tour. I am glad this has come upon
me at a time like this when I am
missing nothing except a greeting like
we got at Mena. Everlasting marchg on
the sands. The CO is back and at the
top of his form handing out tongue pie
galore.No more news. Good Luck
from your
loving Son
Geoff.
 

No2 General Hospital
Ghezireh 23/1/16
Dearest Father Mother & Helen
Just a line to say I am
getting along slowly my temperature's

going down to the normal line now
I am still being starved. The Hospital
people wont tell me what's the matter but
a Doctor pal of mine Capt Le Messerieus says
it looks very like para-typhoid. They took
some blood out of my arm the other day
but it hasn't come back from the pathologist
yet. so he can't tell me definitely. No news
From your loving son
& brother
Had a wire from Maude on my birthday
addressed here
 

23.1.16
1DRL 1427 413

No.2. General Hospital
Ghezireh 26/1/ 1915
I have just received four of your delightful letters
(Nov 25 /Dec19.) I am very glad that you are benefitted by your change at Q,cliff- I have received the
"Mashobra"-parcels, one from you, rabbit-skin vest
gloves &c, and one from Winifred - I must ask you
to go steady with the parcels. - I cannot possibly use
all the things you have sent, nor can I carry them
about with me. Our baggage is limited to 75 lbs each
in which our blankets are included, so I have nothing
to do but to give the surplus away. The papers are
quite right. We are lavishly supplied provided for by
the Ordnance. I have never experienced any difficulty 
in obtaining as much underclothing, socks
etc of good, material and make, generally Australian.
They sent me up from Camp yesterday a
wheat-sack crammed with parcels. What I am going to
do with them here, I really dont know. Colonel Burston
is not our Brigadier He is on some Base, job in connection with reinforcements _ I have some photos:
of the snow on Anzac and will send them along when
ready. I am still in bed and very starved. I would
give a day's pay for a tin of 'bullybeef' and some
biscuits. I get very lonely during these long
drawn-out days of inaction and that bogey "Homesickness" often hovers round my bed. I am beginning to
(1)
 

[*Jany 1913*]
 be convinced that this war has yet a long course to
run
Sd.Geoff C
Many thanks for Flannel flowers
Ghezrieh
Drawing - see original document
have a new hobby. I keep a
temperature-record. and have done so successfully for a
month. So, behold me now, a bag of overheated bones
swaddled in blankets; yet it has not affected my
spirits. The Night-Sister said the other morning
when she woke me at 2 to take my temperature
that it was a pleasure to come near me as I was
always so cheerful. The girts of No 3 have heard
of my sickness and I have been the recipient of
many beautiful bunches of roses & violets as also of
books and magazines Capt Le Mesurier before he left
told Sister Joliffe to look after me; and she is doing, so
royally. She is specially detailed to look after General
Wallach, so of all the dainties he gets I have a share
Chicken-broth, junket, wine-jelly etc. I dont feel
starved now. Winifred's friend. Dr. Lethbridge
(2)
 

was in this ward days before I made myself
known to him; and, all that while Mrs Lethbridge
was looking through all the Hospitals in search
of me as they had had a cable from Ras asking
how I was To day I feel extremely elated .....
I have dropped down to 'normal' after many
weeks trying to touch the top of the Chart.
My blood-test has come back from the pathologists marked "Positive Para-typhoid. A".....
That means it is practically certain that I
shall be sent back to Australia for a while.
for which "Glory be to Allah!" Fancy! to see
you all again although only for a very brief
season say 3 weeks to a month. and then
I shall have to come back to it again
Of course this might not come off, for
they might alter plans; but, up to date, they
have sent all "para:"-cases back whether the
men liked it or not
I hope you got my cables
(S?) Geoff C.
[*"~A"*]
 

No.2. A.G.H Ghezireh
10/2/1916.
This is my fifth week in bed – My temperature
dropped to normal for 3 days; but, much to my
disgust, and the Doctor's and Sisters, it has
sailed back to 101^o again- General Birdwood
came to visit us yesterday - I was speaking to
him for about five minutes. Dr Leese whom
I have often met at the Luxtons is in this ward.
His wife brought me some gorgeous flowers.
Dr Gwynne-Hughes who is also laid-up in
here, has also a very kind wife who brings me
roses, sweets and oranges of which latter I
am allowed to have the juice. We have a new
Sister in the Ward, an Irishwoman who has taken
me under her wing and looks after me like an
anxious mother and makes me special dishes
to break the awful monotony of jelly and custard
From all this you will gather that everybody
is awfully good to me.
The mail closes and if this Epistle is to go
with it, it must close also
(Sd.) Geoff C.
(4)

 

Diagram - see original document
Gezireh
5.2.196.
Dearest Mother Lather & Helen
I have a new hobby I keep a Temperature
and have done so successfully for a month so
much so that behold me a bag of overheated bones
being swaddled in blankets. Yet it has not
affected my spirits. The night sister said the
other morning when she woke me at 2 to take
my temperature it was a pleasure to come
near me as I was always so cheerful.
The girls of No 3 have heard of my sickness
and I have been the recipient of many
beautiful bunches of roses, violets and also
books & magazines. Capt Le Mesurier before
he left told Sister Jolliffe to look after me and
she is doing so royally. She is specially detail
to look after General Wallach so all the dainties
he gets I also get a share. Chicken broth
junket, wine jelly etc. I don't feel starved
now. Winifred's friend Dr Lethbridge was
in this ward for a while it was four
days before I made myself known to
him and all that while Mrs L was looking
through all the hospitals for me as they
 

had had a cable from Ras asking
how I was To-day Ifeel very
elated I have dropped down to normal
after many weeks. trying to touch
the top of the chart. My blood test has
come back from the pathologists marked
"Positive Para Typhoid A" That means
it is practically certain that I shall
be sent back to Australia for a while
for which Glory be to Allah! Fancy to se
you all again although only for a very
brief season 3 weeks to a month and
then I will have to come back to it
again. Of course this might not come
off they may alter their plans; but up
to date, they have sent all para cases
back whether they liked it or not. I
hope you got my cables
Much love
From
Geogg
1DRL 427
4/3