Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Brian Coldin Antill Pockley papers, 1910-1917
MLMSS 1092 / Item 1

[Page 1]
[Transcriber’s note:
Brian Pockley was one of the first casualties in World War 1. He was part of a mission sent to New Guinea to destroy and capture a vital part of the German-Pacific wireless set-up to Berlin. The mission was the first enemy confrontation of the war, on the 11th day of September 1914, well before the Gallipoli campaign. He was a doctor, attending to other wounded participants, giving his Red Cross Band to another man to help him return a wounded sailor to safety. Pockley was shot soon after this exchange .
Page 24 is his first letter from H.M.S. "Berrima" en route to New Guinea. Pages 1 to 23 are letters to family members about social events he was involved in.]
Greystanes
Wahroonga
15/4/12

Dear Old Nellikens,
Many happy returns of the 12th. I could not write by the last mail as I have been away down at the Hawkesbury camping. However better late than never. You are having the honour of my first letter this mail so you ought to be very pleased.
I have just had a splendid holiday. On the Thursday before Good G Friday, Father, & Max, & I went down to the House-Boat till Monday evening. We had a very good time as I expect Father told you last mail, & I think the trip did Father good. I will not describe it in detail as I expect he has done so, but will pass on.
We got home fairly late on Monday night & Max & I were going hard till nearly midnight getting things ready for our camp. We left early on Tuesday morning, met Piggy-Wiggy at Hornsby & reached Hawkesbury about 9.30. We camped at Patonga if you know where that is (It is within view of Lion Island). We were unlucky in getting rain the first day & night but after that

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we had beautiful weather & had a very good time. We took enough food for twice our number & had to bring most of it back with us. I am feeling splendid now though my face is still sore from scraping off a 10 days growth. At first we did not get many fish but on Thursday we caught 19 big flat-head & since then we did well- We brought some home with us when we came up last night. I took some photos but have not developed them yet. If they come out I will send you some copies. We got home fairly late last night & had a good feed & to-day (Monday) we feel like giants refreshed. It was very nice being with good fellows like Piggy & Max & we made a very happy trio- Max is very keen on the fishing & talks of making week-end trips down there We wanted to get a 4th. at first but as we could not get anyone congenial we decided to make it a three-some & it turned out beautifully. I am a lovely cook & my porridge fried & boiled fish, fried bacon & eggs, boiled potatoes & onions were things to conjure with (not literally that is but metaphorically).

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I found 14 letters here for me when I got back & as I already had some I owed, I guess I will spend most of my time for a week or two in writing letters as hard as I can go. There was one from Jack, whom I now owe 3, & he told me of his trip down to Albury with some horses but I expect he tells you all his own news.
Mrs. Sargood & Nancy got back from N.Z. on Saturday & I am going round to see them for a little while this evening. Mr. Grieve is going home to England & leaves by the Melbourne express to-night. He is very great friends with them now & has just been down at the Inlet with them again, & they asked me too but I had fixed up this camp & could not go. They wanted me to go round to Rippon Grange on Saturday night as they made him a presentation then but I was not back. The presentation consisted of an old wig made of tarred rope & a bottle of hair-oil, & they gave him an address "illuminated" by matches hung all round it.
The Remy’s have asked me down there about a dozen times lately & I have refused every time &

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I believe they are beginning to get offended. I really have very little time & there is only Sundays & then I generally have someone here for the week-end & they don’t care about being taken out. However Father was there for supper last night & Mrs. Remy sent me some passover-cake for the camp advising me at the same time to take plenty of [indecipherable] as it was ‘the grub that made the butter-fly!
Well there is no more news old girl. Bogey very well & not very smelly. Hope you are enjoying England better than America & that you will have a good birth-day. I expect that you will go & stay with Joan
Love from Brian.

[Page 5]
Envelope addressed to Miss Nell Pockley
c/o Union S. S. Co. of New Zealand
Fencourt
Fenchurch St.
London.
Posted from Milsons Point Sydney. Dated May 1912

[Page 6]
Graystanes
Sunday Jan.14th

Dear Nell
We are just back from church, & I thought I would scrawl a few lines to you before Uncle Tom arrives. Bogey has followed me here & is sitting down near my feet. He looks very nice after his bath yesterday & a good brushing. Father & I are both very blooming & getting very fat & out-of-condition from over-feeding.
Mrs. Blakeney is quite amusing. We find it very hard to eat even a small part of all the food she puts before us. I always have

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Jan.14th
breakfast at 7.30, as I have to catch an early train. What happened yesterday is a fair sample of every day’s programme. She began by assuring me that it was only my breakfast she had brought in, & that she had Father’s outside. She then asked me if I would rather have cocoa than tea, as she had noticed I had not drunk tea the morning before. After drawing my particular attention to some new peach jam she had made, she left me to my Herculean struggle. I vanquished a huge plate of bread & milk, & then looked round to see how she was treating me. The menu I found consisted of a heavy plate of kidney & bacon, 2 eggs & 2 large cobs of corn. I managed to settle

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an egg & a cob of corn, & then tried to sneak away but Mrs. Blakeney discovered my delinquency, & came after me asking in a very firm tone whether I had noticed the kidney & bacon. I had to meekly admit that I had, & pray to be let off. She never allows any waste either. Last night we were very pleased to see the end of a round of beef, which has been appearing before the footlights at every performance since last Tuesday. There is no doubt about it that we are being well looked after.
The Hooklets are still away. I got a letter from Florrie last week but sad to relate have not yet answered it. To tell the truth I get very little time.

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No news absolutely my dear. I find it very hard to fill 3 letters with only one week’s news, or lack of news. Love to all the familee, & I am patiently waiting for all those photos etc.
Your expectant brother
Brian.

[Page 10]
Graystanes

Dearest Nell
Here’s a great big hug & a big X for Xmas & I hope you will have a very happy day, & not feed the sharks in the tropics with too muchee Xmas dinner.
You have just come into my room & asked me about vaccination & removed an ant from my shoulder for which I

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thank you very much.
But to return to the future or the present as the case may be, I hope you have despatched budgets of letters & photos to your poor little stay-at-home brother from Tahiti & Raretonga & that you are writing stacks more now.
Ever so much love dear & a very happy Xmas & New Year from your loving brother
Brian
XXXXX [many more of these]

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Graystanes
May 12th

Dear Nell
Many happy returns of the day old girl. Sweet seventeen eh? I suppose you will be coming out next year, & I shall have to come out of my shell, & go out again & try to induce partners to dance with you. Bogey sends his Mother his love & a kiss, & says he will be very glad to see her again. He is getting fat & lazy due I am sadly afraid to his being fed at table by his

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grandfather. However that state of things won’t last much longer now. The Hookers caught a rat in a trap last night & this morning I let him think he was killing it which pleased him mightily. I have not sent you a present for many reasons. One is that it seems silly to send anything from here when you can get so much better things there.
Perhaps the best is though that I have not the wherewithal to secure one, being as usually chronically broke. Never mind next week I shall have Father’s cheque book.
I have ceased the noble game of football but Max is still going on playing. I am

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a) playing tennis instead. I am playing in the University tennis tournament in the handicaps & surprised myself very much the other day by defeating my opponent in the first round, but he was a timid little fresher, & I think I must have frightened the poor boy.
I have not killed off any of the patients I am looking after at the Hospital yet. ‘Dead-slow’ aren’t I. I shall have to try & shake it up.
Poor old Dad felt very off colour yesterday & thought he was getting the flue but he says he feels much better to-day. Everyone about has flue, or a cold or something. Bess has a very bad cold & cough, & I am

b) wondering when my turn is coming.
I had a note from Ruth Baber last week. You ought to try & see her in England. Her address is
c/o A.A. Wall Esqre
Wadhurst.
Sussex.
I am feeling very virtuous as I have just written out & addressed 118 invitations for the Med. Society meeting next Friday. (Bess kindly wrote about 50 of them for me).
I shall be very glad to see John next week- Don’t you wish you could see him too! Guy maybe coming down too, but does not know for certain yet.
It is a long time since we heard from any of you. Nearly a m
Over a month. However there is a mail due to-morrow from Vancouver. No more news. Ever so much love from Brian.

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Home Sweet Home
24/3/12

Dear Nell
Owing to your misfortune in being the youngest of the family, & to the fact that I seem to naturally write my letters in order of seniority, you always come in for the last letters, & the last carefully collected dregs of news, which are generally not very tasty nor very copious. However you should feel pleased my dear, when you know what extreme pains I take in the matter of always writing to you, when you know realise what a trying & tremendous task it is. My The newe-cells of my cerebral centres are absolutely discharged when I have finished with you, & they have to recuperate for a whole week before I can bring myself to inditing another epistolary series. (There now I have succeeding in nearly covering one side without telling you anything, though you as a girl probably do not realise the strain which that entails on the masculine intellect, or want of it.)
Bogey is blooming, the cats are blooming, Father ha is

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is still blooming a bright red, the flowers are blooming, Jimmy is blooming, & one of Mr. Vinder’s cows in our paddock has just got a blooming calf. I can’t think of any more news.
Stay though- I will endeavour to recall the masterly speech which I made last night on the occasion of Dudley’s farewell dinner. Everyone there had to make a dinner speech (I mean), & I will try & remember my little effort. Here goes- no interruptions please- & the asides in inverted commas brackets had to be shouted to those gentlemen who were so rude as to insert facetious remarks.
Mr. Gentlemen & Chairman. It is a very great pleasure for me to be able to say a few words to-night about the guest of the evening. In doing so I should like to pay a higher tribute than any of the previous speakers have yet done to the many excellent qualities of which he is possessed. I have known the prisoner intimately now for many years, & I have watched him emerge from the chrysalis stage to become the gay butterfly he now is. Gentlemen he has fluttered round many a brilliant flame but as yet he has succeeded in escaping unseared. May we hope that on the home-trail when not safeguarded by our tender care he will be equally fortunate.

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2. In making a catalogue of his virtues (It’s all right gentlemen it won’t take long) I should like to refer 1st. to what I may perhaps call his ‘bonhomie’. At College Dudley has served to enliven many a weary hour, which otherwise might have been wasted on work, & his never failing cheerfulness, & constant supply of ‘good spirits’ has been a boon to all of us. Socially too he has attained ‘high distinction’ & has always been willing to bear the laurels of the college at Social functions & evening parties, at which we all realise it should be represented, but ourselves shirk the irksome task.
But gentlemen, I should like to compare this gentleman to a lake (No Sir, I do not refer to his liquid-containing capacity, which would be in execrable taste) a lake gentlemen the surface of which is rippled, & yet those ripples do not necessarily indicate a want of depth but only serve to obscure the deeps beneath, so Dudley has worn his mask of gaiety only to conceal more sterling qualities. Gentlemen (those who are not gentlemen will continue to make that offensive noise) you will all agree with me that he is the acme of kindness, the quintessence of generosity, the superlative hypertrophy of hospitality & the consummate apotheosis of good fellowship (Gentlemen this is not hyperbole).

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There was a whole lot more in the same idiotic strain but I have no doubt you are as tired of it as I am, so I will not inflict it on you. Moreover I can but dimly remember what I did say now.
I believe there is a chance of us getting a whole week off at Easter, & I am trying to arrange with Max to go camping. Piggy Mc Keoun is coming too. The only thing is that I don’t yet know what Dad is going to do. If he is going up to Guy it will be alright, but if not I don’t think I had better go away.
Well my dear I have successfully written another long letter to you without telling you anything for which I apologise most humbly. If you are a good Christian - & I hope you are- you will heap coals of fire on my head, by writing me a long & interesting letter in return, when I shall be properly penitent & correspondingly grateful.
Bogey won’t come & implant a lick on this for you. Perhaps I will be able to train him to lick the stamps & envelopes.
Much love from
Brian.

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St. Paul’s College
11th June

Dear Little Sis.
You have been a very good girl last mail to write me such a long & interesting letter & this is your reward.
(I beg your pardon for being so familiar Auntie Nell but I have not got used to treating you yet with the "respect" that your recent elevation demands).
The baby I hear is very fair & has downy hair, very small ears & large feet. Personally I believe that it is much like other such objects probably, & squeals just

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as much, but breathe it not to Guy or Nell. The fond parents of course imagine that it is the only thing of its kind that has ever been produced.
Max & I have been on a trip down to the Inlet. We had as good a time as ever though it rained a lot. Still on Sunday it cleared up & we went down to the Entrance. The breakers were lovely there & we walked up the trig station & had a lovely view. As usual we missed the track & fell over logs & through scrub, & the girls tore their dresses, & we were absolutely unruffled, & we had a great slide down the sand-hill, & a good row

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a) home, a a meal a very full meal & a pipe a very enjoyable pipe, & a bed a most comfy bed, & a sleep & snores from Max etc. etc. ad lib.
The Gillespie kiddies were staying down there, & are the sweetest things you ever saw. They are absolutely the best-behaved I have ever seen & loved being taken out for a row one morning before breakfast & being played ball with. It rained very hard yesterday coming up home but we kept pretty dry in the coach & got home about 8 eat a good meal, & were met with the news of the birth of your nephew. Florrie has just rung me up to say that she has had a letter from Katharine
b) Partridge describing the baby, & she says that Guy did send Mother a cable, so that you probably have two. However I did not know at the time whether he had or not. (The above is since writing Mother’s letter).
I am back in College now & am writing this in Max’s room as I have not got a fire in mine yet & it is cold. I went down & had a run this afternoon at the Oval, as the College football match v. Andrews’ is next Wednesday (to-morrow week) & I have to play. I am in very bad condn. due to good living with too little exercise, & will have quite a job to get

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enough steam up by next week to do a non-stop run, & to smooth the kinks & knots out of my legs.
I am glad you have been having such a riotous time at the Parry’s. Your letters make my mouth water & make me feel very dissatisfied with my comfortable lot.
I had quite a nice lot of presents for my birthday. Florrie gave me a beautiful pipe, whose glories I will not describe to one so little fitted to appreciate it.
Gran gave me a pouch for tobacco & Bess a thermometer. Mrs Remy gave me a tie & a memorandum block, which is most useful (though it will probably never be used)
Doris worked me a cushion with

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a very nice design & very well-done.
Nancy gave me 4 very nice linen hanks. beautifully embroidered with my initials by her sweet self, & Marian gave me a most exquisitely worked affair to hang on the wall to put ties on. Mrs. B made me 2 cakes & I felt quite a dook.
Well my dear I find this letter-writing a far more agreeable game than Pathology, but as I can’t squeeze any more drops of news out of my brain pulp I will try & squeeze soak some more facts into it for August. So with very much love & a request for more letters like the last
Your affectionate brother
Brian
Edgar Stephen wants to be remembered to all the family. Will you tell them.

[Page 24]
H.M.S. Berrima
20.8.14

Dear Family,
I hear we may be able to get a mail back this afternoon so will tell you all the news.
Well after getting aboard at Cockatoo about 1 o’clock we spent a busy afternoon getting all our stores etc. on board. We did not get a meal till 4 o’clock & were jolly hungry by then as we had had breakfast about 7. We were all pretty tired & slept very soundly that night. I have had got a 2 berth cabin to myself. It is on the main deck but has no porthole & will probably be pretty

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2. hot in the tropics, but I am jolly glad to get a cabin at all. The men sleep in hammocks pretty closely slung & will be much worse off.
We got away from Cockatoo about 6 am & anchored in Farm Cove till mid-day as we had to wait for the Melbourne Express. When we got outside the heads we turned North & are still making up the coast, though where we are going I do not know.
She is a very steady old boat but still there are a lot sea-sick. I have been as right as pie all along but have got a very heavy cold to-day which makes me feel not too good.
We carry 4 4.7 guns 2 forward & 2 aft so are capable of dealing with anything less than a cruiser.

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3. We have not yet met any naval convoy, my work has not been very hard so far. I am regimental Medical Officer for to-day, & see all the sick. I saw about 50 this morning with various troubles & will probably see about the same number at the evening sick-parade. One man is a probable pneumonia & I put him in Hospital.
Everything is going well so far & there is really no news to tell you. I must finish in haste as I hear the mail is closing.
Brian

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H.M.A.S. Berrima.
31. 8.14.

Dear Family
The first mail arrived to-day for the Berrima, but sad to relate there was not a single letter for me or Donaldson. Most of the men told me that their correspondents said they saw advertised in the paper to address to ‘H.M.A.S. Berrima On Active Service’, so I suppose you overlooked the advertisement & letters were not sent on from the Barracks.
It was disappointing as I am very keen on hearing the news & was eagerly looking forward to the mail.
I hear that there will be a private small mail-bag sent back tonight

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so am just writing these few lines now in addition to the letter I wrote a few days ago. We are still in the same spot as we were when I wrote last & I have just got back from a shore-party. It was raining nearly all day & was consequently pretty miserable.
I hear we may be moving on again to-morrow & hope it is true though I do not know where we are going.
There has not been very much doing on board so far. Last night I got pulled out of bed about midnight to go & give an anaesthetic for a man who had chopped his hand with a butcher’s knife, & Maguire was fixing it up.
We have inoculated all the naval men a 2nd time for enteric which took a whole morning. Everyone is well & there is no further news, & as the mail bag is due to close in a few minutes I will end with love to you all
Brian

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H.M.A.S. Berrima
28th August

Dear Family
We are allowed to send a mail home to-day, but are strictly requested not to give any information, which if it fell into the hands of the enemy might be of service to them. Consequently I am unable to give any details of our location etc. Suffice it to say that at present we are anchored off a small island with the Sydney & the Encounter alongside us. We have had no fighting & no casualties or serious illnesses as yet. The most serious affair so far has been one case of pneumonia, but he is doing very well & may have a crisis any time now.

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We have had very good weather & have all been well & very happy so far. There has been a regular epidemic of ‘flu & colds due to the changed conditions of life, but no one is seriously affected.
We have been ashore on the island practically every day & have enjoyed it very much. There is very little room on board & the freedom of movement is much appreciated. I am writing this at present on shore. We have built a field hospital of poles & bushes which is beautifully cool & shady, & the men are sitting all round eating their meal of bully beef & tea. We have had some practise work in manufacturing improvised stretchers from saplings tied together c creepers & padded with grass, & in sending out a man somewhere in the bush supposed to be suffering from some injury, & then sending out an A.M.C.

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party to find him attend to his injuries make a stretcher & bring him in to the Field Hospital. Some of the men display remarkable ingenuity in the manufacture of splints etc.
The Infantry are busily engaged in manoeuvres at the same time.
We have been fairly busy in the A.M.C. & have inoculated everyone for enteric (about 1500) & have vaccinated a couple of hundred who had not been done before.
I discovered Prosper Lark in the ranks after we left Sydney. He wants to be
remembered to all of you. There are dozens of similar men roughing it in the ranks
& it should be a great experience for them. The men are pretty closely packed
on the troop decks & are a very mixed lot so that they have to

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rub shoulders with some very queer lots in some cases. However I think the majority of men are a very good crowd. Donaldson & I take it in turns to attend to all the sick cases on board day by day. We generally have an average number of 200 reporting sick per diem but the majority are colds or very small ailments.
House was made a Lt. Colonel before he left. He is awfully decent to work with & is universally liked. The Officers are on the whole a very good crowd & there have been no disagreements or quarrels so far. In fact up to the present it has been quite a picnic.
We have special reporters from the Herald & Sun on board. They were allowed on at the last moment but have not been permitted to send much news to their papers I believe. We are quite cut off here & know very little of the news of the war. We heard yesterday that the Crown Prince is dead & that

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the Germans have occupied Brussels but do not know whether it is true or not.
I have taken some snaps & am going to try & send them back to Father to get developed for me. You might send me copies of them if any good, & also keep a complete set of prints for me at home.
We are writing a report on the health of the troops on a troopship which is to be preserved for the guidance of future expeditions if any.
We do not know how long we are to stay here. We have been here 5 days now & there is nothing doing & we do not know how long it will last at all. The island is practically deserted & the few inhabitants are quite friendly.
Well no more news. I have written

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on both sides of the paper as I am afraid we shall be very short of paper soon. Love to all of you, & I hope you are all well. I wish I knew if you had any news of Phyl.
Brian.

[Page 35]
H.M.A.S. Berrima
4. 9.14.

Dear Family,
I can not tell you very much in the way of news as there is still a censorship of anything of value to possible Germans. We left our little island 2 days ago & are now 500 miles from it. At first we were in calm water but later got into rough seas (yesterday) & quite a number of the men were sick. We reach our present destination to-night. We steamed all last night with all lights out, but I think it was quite unnecessary as there is certainly no danger of meeting any Germans just at present. I have been quite

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well & not at all seasick & have not had to resort to Mothersill at all as yet. I gave my orderly some & it seemed to do him a lot of good.
The health of the ship is still very good, though there are a lot of colds & ‘flu.
We seem very cut off from the world & if a stray paper happens along or a stray piece of news by wireless it is eagerly devoured. If you have any interesting newspapers send them along
I am very anxious to hear news of all the family & also of Phyl & have not heard a murmur yet, though I have seen a Sydney newspaper published a week after we left.
The Aorangi a store ship is with us & brought a mail.

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My work still consists of sick parades at 7 a.m. & 4 p.m., attending to any patients in Hospital, & inspecting the ship daily & reporting on the general hygiene. It is not very exciting as yet. I wonder if the Sargoods have got away from Honolulu. I hear that the New Zealanders took same without a shot but do not know if it is correct. I expect Jack will be down in Sydney when you get this if the Sargoods’ are back.
Would someone please thank Mrs. Sargood for the cigarette case which she sent me. I could not write as I did not know what address would catch her & I thought I would see her when she got back & thank her.

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I am going to number all my letters so that you will know if any are missing. This is the 4th I have written. If you do the same I will know if there are any missing. I am keeping a very short diary of notes on the ship. I did not bring a notebook diary but am just jotting notes on ordinary paper.
No more news at present. Will keep this open for the present.
Next day
Have just heard there is a mail going & have just got time to catch it. Have arrived at our destination safely & are in a good harbour. Nothing exciting has happened.
Love to all the family
Brian.

[Page 39]
H.M.A.S. Sydney
11. 9. 14.

Dear Family,
Just a line to tell you the news. As you see I am aboard the Sydney at present & Dr Prevost has promised to post this for me as they expect to return to Sydney after to-morrow. I have been on board the Sydney for 5 days now, & am attached to the 1st landing force under Lt. Bowen & 50 of the R.A.N. Reserve. The ship is cleared for action at present & is accompanied by the 3 destroyers. I saw Alec 5 days ago. He had a fine beard & at first I did not know him.
We are only 5° from the equator at present & it is jolly hot especially at night as all the dead lights are closed to ensure a dark ship & consequently there is not a breath of air. I have just come out of the ship’s surgery. It was 95° there.

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I do not think it will matter to tell you now that our objective to-morrow is Rabaul & Herbertshohe in New Britain. We make a night attack at 3 a.m. to-night. Probably there will be no opposition at all as on a previous occasion when the 2 destroyers & the Sydney entered Simsonshaven (Rabaul) & steamed peacefully out again after a landing party had destroyed their post office. That was a month ago.
The Berrima is following us & should arrive about a day later.
Our objective is 2 wireless stations close to Herbertshohe. One 4 miles away & the other about 7 or 8. We are not even certain that they exist & much doubt if they are defended. However we shall see to-morrow. If they do exist & we take them we shall probably mount guard over them for about a week till relieved. I am the only medical officer with the party & have one private. We shall each accompany one of the

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wireless station parties. Of course it is just possible that we may meet with naval opposition in entering the harbour, but if we do you will either hear all about it from Prevost or else you won’t get this letter. Personally I think it will be a very pleasant little picnic.
We enter the harbour about 3 a.m. & about 5 a.m. my party goes on board a destroyer & is taken to Gazelle Point where the biggest wirl wireless plant is supposed to be. I have had a great time on board the Sydney & nothing much to do. Also one is fed much better & more appetisingly than on the troopship & I like the society better. Rahilly is on the Sydney & Dennis an old Sydney University man. Well no more news & I must turn in, as I believe we are all going to be hauled out at 2 a.m.
Much love to you all
Brian.

[This is the last of the letters. Diary entries in note form follow from August 1st 1914.]

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Sat. Aug 1st
Went to see Freschi[?] with Tozer & Meehan re joining A.M.C.
Applied same night by post for Commission.
Monday Tuesday Aug. 4th
Received application forms for Commission. Filled in & returned by Wanall to Barracks same afternoon.

Thursday Aug. 6th
Volunteered to P.M.O. for Expeditionary Force

Monday Aug 10th
Received telephone message from Barracks to report for duty at Randwick racecourse. Did last round with Gill & went out same afternoon. Saw Newmarch (Col. & S.M.O. of 8th A.A.M.C.) & Brigade Major.
Appointed R.M.O. to 31st Light Infantry in camp at Randwick (O.C. Major Gallagher 2nd Major Newton Adjutant Capt Penser). Neill Inglis in adjacent lines (Poele, Aspinall, Dunlop, Maguire, Welsh at Field Hosp.)
Returned to Hospital & collected gear. Ordered uniform.

Tues. Aug.11th
Went into camp. Work mainly examining recruits & Sick parades.
Struck by large no. of venereal.

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Wed. Aug.12th
Examined more recruits (about 200 in all) In afternoon went to Barracks. Offered posn. as M.O. with 1st Expeditionary Force via Poele. Accepted (To leave in 3 days under sealed orders). Went to Hospital & back to Randwick to collect things. Slept at Hospital.

Thursday 13th
Reported at Barracks 10 a.m. Sent to R.A.S. Ground, met House, Maguire & Donaldson. Went to town & ordered clothes & equipment.

Friday 14th
Duty at R.A.S. ground. Slept night there.

Sat. 15th
[Ditto] Evening saw Guy & Nell, Mother & Williams Slept at Guy’s

Sunday 16th
Church parade at 9 a.m. In afternoon Father, Nell, Florrie, Gale
, Doris & Miss Bisdee & Joy came out. Slept night there.

Monday 17th
Morning in town & collected last of gear. Morning tea c. [with] Mrs Remy Afternoon at Show ground. Evening good –bye to Mother & Nell.
Sepl Slept at ground. Took Insurance policy for £ 300.

[Page 44]
Tues. 18th
Up at 6. Packed off gear. Marched through city leaving Show ground about 10.30. Joe & I at tail of procession with Chlap Chaplain Green & Major Martin behind. Rottenly dusty & hot. Saw Mother, Nell & Guy at Guy’s rooms. Father & John outside his rooms. (Jack came down from country specially) Saw Auntie & other residents & nurses at Sydney Hospital as we went past. Route was along tram-line to College St, down Macquarie St, & on to ferries at Fort Macquarie. Thence to Cockatoo. Jack came aboard Cockatoo. Jolly glad to see him. Got on board about 1 pm. Meal at 4 pm. Damned hungry. Comfortable 2 berth cabin to self (No 262) Afternoon was spent in loading supplies at Cockatoo. Bed about 10 tired out

Wed 19th
Got up at 6 a.m. to find Berrima just beginning to move out of dock.

[Page 45]
Wed 19th
Had bath etc. & got up on deck c. glasses, (beautiful pair & much envied). Anchored at Farm Cove till mid-day & then moved off. Was orderly Med. Officer for day but nothing much to do. Spent time finding my way about ship (Hospital, Dispensary, Surgery, Men’s quarters, Isolation Hospital) Fine ship & very comfortable.
Took a few snaps of men at work. Cleared heads making due east. Later turned north.
Great many sea-sick. Personally very well. In evening had a chat with Keith Heritage & Maguire. Find Heritage very decent fellow.

Thurs. 20th
Up at 6 am. Got early tea, bath, shave, etc. Sick parade at 7 am. Others do physical drill. Had about 50 in sick parade. Fair no. sea-sick though weather good. Large no. of colds & sore throats. One man admitted to Hospital (T 103° Probably pleurisy.)

[Page 46]
Thurs 20th
Breakfast 8.30. Afterwards saw Hazlett who was ill. Have very severe cold myself & feel unwell c. Lay down most of morning in cabin. Showed Capt. [indecipherable] what his drugs were for. They have been firing the 4.7 guns to test their mountings.
Sick parade at 4 pm.
Think I must have ‘flu.

Friday 21st
Magui Orderly Medical Officer for the day. Saw Hospital patients & inspected men’s food. At 9.30 Maguire, Donaldson & self inoculated Naval Reserve for enteric nearly 600 in all. Have been anchored all day in Moreton Bay. At 5 pm. felt very sick & went to bed. Did not worry about dinner. Think it partly ‘flu, & partly reaction to 2nd enteric inoculation this morning. Maguire very decent to me & his [indecipherable] did lunch.

[Page 47]
Sat 12th
Much better this morning but am still sore & inflamed.
Sick parade at 7 a.m. After breakfast Maguire, Donaldson & self vaccinated about 180 men for small-pox. Did about 30 more after lunch.
Sick parade 4 p.m.
Sighted H.M.S. Sydney at a little before 4. Have been close to her since. (1300 yds.) At 4.30 attended lecture by Major Heritage on ‘Infantry in the Field" (Fire-Direction & Fire Control) Very interesting Concert in evening.

Sunday 23rd.
Orderly Officer for day.
Church parade on aft-deck at 9.30 a.m. 10 a.m. Inoculated about 840 men with 2nd typhoid injection (500,000,000). After lunch did about 25 more.
Passed through Whitsunday Passage this afternoon Scenery has been very beautiful all day.

[Page 48]
Monday Aug 24th.
Sick parade 7 a.m. About 100. Anchored off Palm Island. Party went ashore this afternoon & some A.M.C. with Maguire & Donaldson. I stayed aboard. H.M.S. Sydney has gone to Townsville to coal but the Encounter is here with Gen. Byrne & Ireland aboard. There is a small village on the beach here inhabited by a white man, & several natives about. Place looks very pretty. Sick parade at 4 p.m.

Tuesday Aug 25th.
Orderly Officer for Day.
At 9.30 accompanied Col.House, Col Patten & Maguire round ship & sent urgent recommendations to Commander Stevenson.
In afternoon went ashore & followed Infantry round to Native village from point of landing. Infantry in extended order. Rough country. No casualties. Had to wade several 100 yds to embark.

[Page 49]
Wed. Aug. 26th
Sick parade 7 a.m.
Went ashore at 9 a.m. with firing party of 4 companies under Col. Patten. Built Field Hospital by closing in sides & using shady tree for roof. Took all morning & made very cool & roomy shelter. Col Patten very pleased c. shelter. Lunched there & after lunch constructed improvised stretcher with poles, cross poles & grass lashed together c. creepers. Brought stretcher on board. Sick parade 4.30 p.m. At 5 p.m. Navy [indecipherable] Army & donkey-licked them.
In evening Ireland & Byrne came over from Encounter.
Case of pneumonia in Hosp. c. temp of 104° (Did well)

Thurs Aug 27th
Orderly Officer for Day.
Were going ashore all day but S.E. wind very fresh & too strong. Gave lecture to A.M.C. on ‘conditions of unconsciousness.’

[Page 50]
Friday Aug 28th. Note: Naval man had [indecipherable] fit on way to shore. Brought him back to ship.
Sick parade 7.a.m.
9.30 a.m. Went ashore with Donaldson & party of A.M.C. Occupied same shelter close to Targets. Men did stretcher-drill & field ambulance work. Commenced report on health of troopship. Sick parade 4 p.m.
In evening looked up refs. on ‘Alcohol in Tropics’ for Col. House.

Sat. Aug. 29th
Orderly Medical Officer. Ashore c. Maguire. Built new shelter near Butler’s house. Men did field ambulance work. Brigadier & Col. Patten very impressed & sent a Company back to see work. Maguire very pleased.
In evening visited Encounter c. Donaldson & Heritage. Met Roberts & Francis & saw Byrne & Ireland. Roberts showed me round their sick bay & medical arrangements, & was very decent.

[Page 51]
Sunday Aug 30th Note: At 11.30 pm called out for case of man cut his hand c. butcher’s knife. Gave calls for Maguire. Bed at 1.30.
Sick parade 7 a.m.
9.30 a.m. Inoculated 500 Naval men & Ship’s crew for enteric with Maguire & Donaldson. In afternoon continued report c. Donaldson in Colonel’s cabin.
Sick parade 4 p.m. Slept 5.30 – 6.30 After dinner had talk c. Sheels re football & travel (espec. G & A. service as Dr) Very interesting

Monday Aug 31st
O.M.O. for Day. Went ashore c. Donaldson & 13 men. Continued report. Stretcher drill for men.

Tues Sept.1st
Sick parade 7 a.m. O.M.O. for Day Inspected meat from Townsville c. Heritage & Maguire. Reported re latrines, Dispensary etc. In afternoon inspected Naval Reserve’s rations for Commander Brown. Bed at 11.30

Wed. Sept 2nd
M.O. for Day. Visited Hospitals & Dispensary at 9.30 a.m.
2 submarines arrived this morning at 7 a.m.

[Page 52]
Wed. Sept 2nd
Left Palm Island at 4 p.m. In line Sydney leading then Encounter, Berrima & Aorangi. 2 submarines at first in lead then on starboard flank.
5 p.m. Visited Hosp. patients & Dispensary. Well inside Barrier Reef.

Thurs Sept 3rd.
Opposite Cairns in early morning. Rose 6.15 a.m. O.M.O. Sick parade at 7. Passed Pt. Archer & Cooktown at 8.30 a.m. Inspected men’s meals & latrines. Accompanied Commander Stevenson on inspection of ship. Spent most of morning reading malaria.
2 p.m. Passed through Cook passage in reef & entered open sea. (See 3.)
Delivered lecture in malaria to A.M.C. detail in Ward room (2.15-2.45).
Quite a large no. seasick. Quite well personally.
4 p.m. Sick parade
5.30 p.m. Brigade order (Major Heritage) for dark ship. Saw that all A.M.C. quarters 3 Hosps. & Emerg. Hosp, Orderly Room, Dispensary, N.C.O’s & Officers’ cabins & Troop deck quarters

[Page 53]
Thurs. Sept. 3rd.
were darkened.
Has been blowing S.E. trade all day. Prevents mugginess but still pretty hot. Fine moonlit night. All ships dark. Submarines on surface & barely visible. Fixed up Col. House’s quarters as his orderly & himself ill.

Friday Sept 4th
Med. Officer for Day attending to patients in Hospital.
At 5.15 pm sighted land & about 6.30 passed through entrance in Coral reef into Port Moresby & went straight to inner harbour ( about 4 miles from settlement & completely hidden from inner harbour).
The land when sighted was mountainous & slopes very pretty. Very barren country at Moresby itself. Warrego was waiting for us outside harbour & signalled us in.

[Page 54]
Sat. Sept. 5th
O.M.O. for Day.
Early in morning native dug out canoes came alongside with cocoanuts & paw paws for sale & continued all day. Warrego [Yarra?] lay alongside all morning & Kanouna all afternoon. Stewart Kay & Major O.C. Queensland party came aboard in morning.
No shore leave except for a few of brigade staff.
Natives dive for 6d’s etc. Very ugly looking crowd. Native police a fine body. (Punitive exped. has been sent today to Fly River to punish cannibal tribe for eating a white miner). A few launches from Moresby came round in afternoon. Slept night on deck off smoking saloon.

[Page 55]
Sunday Sept. 6th
7 a.m. Ordered to hold self in readiness to go on Sydney with 50 of Naval Reserve- probable destination Herbertshohe.
Packed & all ready by 9 a.m. Am to take 1 man. Chose Gooch. In afternoon Alec Doyle came aboard c. Paddy Ireland for 1 hr. Has fine beard would not know him. Sent trunk & A.M.C. gear aboard Sydney at 4 p.m.
Colonel House’s lecture on Tropical Diseases at 4.15 p.m.

Monday 7th
Came on board Sydney at 6.30 a.m. Sailed 8 a.m. Divisions at 9.00 a.m. General quarters at 9.15 a.m. Watched gun practice c firers.
Lunch at 12. Spent morning in sick bay overlooking materials & water analysis gear.

[Page 56]
Monday Sept 7th
After lunch Kanouna broke down & we put back while rest went on (except destroyers) Kanouna being right we went after others c. destroyers leaving Kanouna to catch us. Had a sleep in afternoon.
In our fleet is Sydney, Encounter, Warrego, Yarra, Berrima, Aorangi & Kanouna. P[indecipherable]able aboard & cooler.
On board are Capt Glossup, Comm. Finlayson (brother-in-law of French’s), Rahilly, Drs. Prevost & Darby, Dennis [indecipherable] & others. Hear that Kanouna has been sent back to Townsville with all crew & soldiers. Firemen caused trouble because they were only getting 5/- a day while those on Berrima had 10/-. Imagine feelings of Stewart Kay & Fry.

[Page 57]
Monday Sept. 7th.
Dinner at 7. Had bath first. First fresh water shower since leaving Sydney. Excellent dinner & well-served. In evening sat c. Darby (surgeon), paymaster ?, & Dennis on Deck & smoked & chatted. Heard all about their previous expedition to Rabaul. Sydney has 8- 6" guns & 2 (3?) torpedoes. Steamed 26 knots on trials (can do 28?). Bed 10 p.m. Had stretcher on deck-space outside ward-room & dressed in Prevost’s cabin, which is jolly decent of him.

Tues. Sept. 8th.
Rose 7.15 a.m. Another glorious shower & shave c. hot-water!! Breakfast at 8. Stroll on quarter deck after. Divisions 9.30. then general quarters. Spent most of morning in Sick Bay. P.O. in charge is giving us a huge heap of drugs etc. which we lack, thanks to Gooch who was 3 years in Sick Bay of R.N. & under same surgeon as P.O. Lunch at 12. At 1.15 lectured R.A.N.R. force on Hygiene c. special reference to

[Page 58]
Tues. Sept. 8th.
1. Water-supplies (2) Camp-sanitation & latrines (3) Dysentery, malaria & Heat stroke (4) prevention of these by guarding against flies, mosquitoes etc. (5) Personal cleanliness (6) Report if at all ill.
Afterwards went to sick-bay for another ½ hour.

This is the end of Brian Pockley’s diary. The following are letters to various members of the Pockley family dating back to 1881.

[Page 59]
Envelope addressed to Miss F.A. Pockley, posted from Edinburgh Via Brindisi:
c/o Miss Flower
Sydney Ladies College
Macquarie St
Sydney
Australia.

[Page 60]
Two stamps from the Australasian Association Edinburgh and Sydney Jan 27 1882. See images.

[Page 61]
Australasian Association Edinburgh stamp
Thursday 15th Dec 1881.
My Dear Flo
I was very glad to get your letter last week and must send you a few lines in reply to let you know I am alive and kicking. I have neither time nor news for a longer letter
Am not working hard this session yet my time is pretty fully occupied, and I can rarely get

[Page 62]
time for writing unless I neglect some of my work. At the present moment I ought to be at Anatomy instead of here writing. I am doing a lot of practical work at the Infirmary this session. This takes up a lot of time but I do not grudge it because in the first place I like the work and in the second place there’s nothing like practical work for teaching a fellow his profession. Too many fellows don’t see that but spend all their time reading and neglect practical work. The consequence is when they have passed their exams and are fully fledged doctors, they are often quite lost

and don’t know what to do when called to the bedside-
On Monday evening I was at a Kitchen Concert at the Infirmary These Kitchen concerts are given every winter by the resident surgeons and physicians in the large Kitchen and are very good indeed. It looked rather queer to see a stage with a grand piano at one end of the room and the audience seated on forms not only in the body of the room but perched on top of huge boilers, caldrons etc one of which latter exalted positions I occupied. Three Australians performed and

[Page 63]
were loudly applauded. Cecil Mitchell son of Rev Stanley Mitchell was encored for a song and Reg Horseley who recites splendidly was also loudly called for a second time but owing to the lateness of the hour he did not respond.
We have had a few cold days at last but as yet the frost has not lasted long enough without a thaw to enable us to have skating. It is freezing hard to day and if it will only last for another day we may get some skating.
This day week I intend going to London to stay for a week or so with the Vanderbyls and on

[Page 64]
[Aust. Assoc. Edinburgh stamp as before.]
my way back to turn aside and spend a day or two with Mr Creeny at Norwich.
It will be a treat to get away from Scotland and hear people talking English again, if only for a few days. I mean to go & see the Slades while in London and also have been asked by the Morgans to go and see them. I have not got your letter by me and so cannot answer any questions you may have asked. Thank the girls for me for their kind

[Page 65]
messages and return the compliment from me. We had a class exam in physiology last Saturday. I did not go in for it. Purchas and du Moulm are well: So is Theo he is working hard now for his second professional exam which comes off in April
Love to yourself & Ethel, father mother and all the others from
Your loving brother
Frank A Pockley

[Page 66]
31 Warrender Park Road
Edinburgh
Wednesday 22 Mch/82
My dear Flo,
I think it is about time I wrote to you again. The mail closes tomorrow and I have scarcely anything to write about so this will be only a short letter. In the first place I must congratulate you on having passed your Junior Exam. I hope you will do as well this year at the Senior if you go up which I suppose you will do. Our session will end on Friday week and the lecturers are now "piling on the agony" lecturing on Saturdays and some of them lecturing twice a day instead of only once so as to get finished by the end of the session, so that we are now even busier than usual. I have not yet decided what to do in the vacation I may go to Ireland but am not certain whether I shall or not. I think we shall

[Page 67]
have to leave these ‘digs’ at the end of the session as our land lady thinks she will have to go and keep house for her brother. We shall thus have the bother of looking out for a fresh place. We have been very comfortable here and don’t care about the idea of quitting.
Theo is working very hard now his exam begins in about a fortnight. He is looking very thin & washed out. You thought him thin in the photo. You would scarcely know him now as he is ever so much thinner than that.
The weather has been pretty cold lately for this season of the year: we had a heavy fall of snow in Edinburgh yesterday morning and another in the afternoon.
My last letters from Sydney were posted about the end of January but no one mentioned anything about Harry Antill’s departure which I understood was to be in the first week of Feby.
I enclose two or three newspaper clippings

[Page 68]
which please give to father and ask him what he thinks of the story of pouring oil on the troubled waters. The clippings are from the "Edinburgh Evening News" of last week.
I have a whole pile of Australian letters which I am keeping till the vacation to answer. If any of my correspondents say anything to you about my not having answered their letters please tell them I have not had time to write lately but will write during the vacation.
You seem to have had a jolly good time of it during the Xmas holidays I would have given something to have been amongst you. Mr Creeny was in Edinburgh the other day: he called here just after I had left for the College but saw Purchas who told him he would see me by coming to the Infirmary at 12, so he came then. I shewed him over the Infirmary, and took him to the Club where he met another

[Page 69]
Australian acquaintance, Arthur Moore of the North Shore. We had a "phenomenon" up at the University on Monday in the shape of a man, an American, who could dislocate nearly every joint of his limbs- shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, elbow, lower jaw etc by muscular action and restore them to their sockets by muscular action with the greatest ease. He gave a demonstration in the large Anatomy theatre and several of the professors were there to see him "perform."
Tell Mother Bunch and Kathleen that I did not forget to wish them many happy returns of the day on their birthdays last week. Have to trot up to the Infirmary in a few minutes So goodbye for the present. With love to yourself and all the others from your affectionate brother
Frank.

[Page 70]
Edinburgh
Sunday 18th Feby/ 83
My dear old Flo,
I received your letter of 31st Dec on Wednesday while I was at breakfast, but had not time to read it till past midnight. I must begin by congratulating you in your grand success in your exam. What a swell you must be You will have to teach me Geology when I go back as I have always wished to know something about it, and have had no time for it here. So you had better begin making a collection of any old specimens of Old red sandstone, or in fact anything Kainozoic, Mesozoic or Palaeozoic that might serve to throw any light on the subject. Perhaps Katie Ward or Ella might enrich your collection with some fossil bones.

[Page 71]
Was glad to hear of your present from father. Mind you take care of it How pleased you all must have been to have had old Harry with you at Xmas, and how he must have enjoyed seeing you. Am sorry he was not well though. I hope it is nothing serious but I have for some time feared that his heart might be affected.
You will have discovered long enough ere this that Robert Henry was a passenger by the "John Elder." I hope to hear by next mail that he has arrived safely.-
Resumed Monday Evg. Was writing yesterday morning after church. Had to leave off for lunch after which we went for our usual constitutional (Purchas, Theo, Dr Woodhead and I.) After evening service I was just opening my desk when a visitor came in, followed soon afterwards by another. They stayed till past 12, so that I was

not able to write, and now I am just snatching a few minutes before going to bed. Am very tired so cannot write much more but you wont miss much as I have not any news. I must ask you to address to the Club again as Mrs Crawford will be leaving these rooms in April for another house in Forrest Road. We shall probably go with her. It is a nuisance having to shift again.- In one of your recent letters I remember you wished particularly to know if people were ever buried alive Wherever have you been getting such silly ideas. No doubt people have often been buried alive,- [indecipherable] purposely- but that was in the old days. Now when doctors know their work there is not much danger of such a thing and you may rest quite satisfied that such a fate is not to be yours at any rate.

[Page 72]
I have nothing else to write about old girl and am too sleepy and tired to think of anything. Am quite well and jolly, though I have just a little more work than I can get through. By the time you get this the exam will be almost if not quite over, (It begins on 6th April), and I shall not be sorry. Hope you can read this
Love to yourself and all from
Your loving brother
Frank A Pockley.

[Page 73]
Australasian Club
Edinburgh
Monday 28th May 1883
My dear old Flo,
Am under the impression that it is a long time since I wrote to you but have rather lost count during the last few months. I have had several letters from you lately. It’s very good of you to write so often. I have none of your letters with me here so cannot see if they contained any questions that needed answering. I have just parted from Theo. He has gone to his ‘digs’ to read. He is working very hard just now for his finals

[Page 74]
which will be over in about three weeks and then Theo will be a full fledged doctor, for he is sure to pass. The final exam is a fearfully long affair. It is four weeks since Theo went in for the first part of it, and he won’t be done with it for three weeks more. We had a holiday last Thursday in honour of the Queen’s birthday. In the morning I went to see the Lord High Commissioner’s procession. This functionary- the Earl of Aberdeen this year- is appointed annually as the Queen’s representative to open the Kirk Session, and on the Queen’s birthday he drives in a grand procession from Holyrood, where he stays while in Edinburgh on this duty, to St. Giles Cathedral and afterwards to the Synod Hall.
Sir Arthur Gordon, who I think is the Earl of Aberdeen’s brother, was in one of the carriages. It is many years now since I saw him. You may remember I came up from Fiji in the same steamer with him. Little did I think then that the next time place I should see him would be in Edinburgh. In the afternoon I went down to Raeborn Place cricket ground to see a La Crosse match between a team of Canadians and one of Red Indians (Iroquois). It is quite an American game though several clubs have lately been started in England. I liked the game very much &

[Page 75]
think it would be a grand game for the Australian Colonies in the winter months. While watching the game I passed a group of Australians of my acquaintance. Amongst them was a stranger whom I did not recognise till he stepped forwards and said "Well Frank you don’t seem to know me," and then I recognised Sedge Brown, though he has altered very much since I saw him last. We had a good deal to talk about. He was at our Club social on Saturday evening and sang a couple of songs. He has a very good voice. Yesterday afternoon he went for a walk with a party of us, and dined with me afterwards. He

[Page 76]
is a very jolly lively little fellow I call him "little" because he is very much shorter than I am though he weighs much more. He has got very stout since last I saw him. He is charmed with our Edinburgh Schools and University and the Hospital and also with the companionship and camaraderie that exists amongst Australians here and is constantly wishing that he had come to Edinburgh instead of London. He is only here on a short visit and

[Page 77]
will be returning to London in about a week.
I have no other news old girl. My time is pretty well occupied now though I have not much hard reading to do. I lost one of my patients last week- a poor little motherless bairn of 7 months- from [indecipherable], and I have to go presently and see another poor laddie of 2 years who is in a very bad way with inflammation of the lungs.
Flying round to see my patients takes up all my spare time now & leaves me scarcely any time for reading or writing.
Give my love to father and mother and all at home, and those at Jarvisfield and Abbotsford and

with much to yourself I am
Your loving brother
Frank A Pockley.

Mrs Crawford is moving this week to new rooms in Forrest Road immediately opposite the Infirmary gates which will be very convenient for us. We shall have a nice view from our windows too, of the Meadows, which are looking lovely just now.
In Edinburgh and the district people all "flit" on "term day" the 28th May. It is, a convenience in some ways for all those who intend moving to change houses but in other ways it is a great nuisance. Horses, and vans, can scarcely be got at any price. Fortunately for us

[Page 78]
no new tenant is coming into the house we are vacating so the landlord has given Mrs. Crawford permission to stay on till the end of the week. This will give us time to move leisurely and will also enable the paperhangers to get the new place done up before we go into it.
Mrs Woodhead has very kindly asked Arthur and me to go and stay there for a few days till Mrs Crawford gets settled and we are going for a day or two at any rate

[Page 79]
Edinburgh
Tuesday Evg 22 Jan 1884
My dear Flo,
I think it is your turn for a letter this time. I must begin by thanking you for the pretty Xmas card you sent me, and which I received some time ago. I have had no letters from home for several weeks now. I suppose you are all alive or else I should have heard. I take great credit to myself for the fact that, although I am so very busy I write home oftener than I receive letters from home. My letters are generally very brief certainly but that is simply because I have nothing to write about except my work which would not interest anybody. I saw Dr. Giles the other day. You may remember that I saw him last in Adelaide and I told you then who he is. He was in Edinburgh for a few days last week on his way to Vienna. On Saturday afternoon I

[Page 80]
managed to find time to call on the Fords They had thought I must have left Edinburgh and were immensely surprised when I told them I had been to the Antipodes
In the evening I went by invitation to the Ritchies. I heard there was a lady there who had met an acquaintance of mine in London some months ago, and wished to see me about him. As I had declined a previous invitation I felt bound to go this time When I got there I found they were having a little dance. The lady who wished to see me was Miss Flemming who stayed in London last autumn with Miss Ritchie, at the same house with Sydney Ridge, an old schoolfellow of mine, at the Mr. Hunter’s School, and a sort of connexion of Ellies. He had come to England to consult the doctors about his eyesight. By the Frisco mail on Saturday Artie heard of his eldest brothers marriage- There, that is simply all I have to write about, I am busy

[Page 81]
from early morning till past midnight, without any deviation from the every day routine worth mentioning.
I expect you will be about going into the new house when you receive this letter. I cant say I admire the name you have fixed upon. I was going to suggest "Greenlands" but if the name is fixed my suggestion is too late- Will you ask father if he will send me the English Mail summaries of the "Herald" I have not heard any Sydney news since I left. I have no time to go to the Club to read the papers there, but if I had them here I could manage to get a few odd minutes now and again, at meal times to have a look at them. I don’t like to be quite unacquainted with what is going on while I am away.
Have absolutely nothing more to write about. Have had no news from any of my English friends or relations

For a long time simply because I owe them all letters & cannot get time to write.
Love to father & mother and Uncle George and all at home, and at Jarvisfield & Abbotsford from
Your loving brother
Fr. Antill Pockley.

[Page 82]
8 Wickenburg Gasse 26
Stock 3 Thur 14
Vienna
Tuesday 7 Oct/84

Address to Forrest Road Edinburgh as before

My dear old girl,
My last letter was a short one to mother, written just before I left Edinburgh, which was on Saturday week. I was very busy up till the last moment packing away the things to be left behind in Edinburgh, and those to be brought with me to Vienna. The former, Mrs Crawford has kindly promised to allow to remain in her house till my return to London. Poor old soul she was quite affected when I came to say goodbye and could not speak, but commissioned Frank to tell me what she could not say herself. I was so busy that I had not time to say goodbye to anyone except the Sideys and the Fords. Artie had not returned when I left so I did not see him to say goodbye, but I expect he will be over here in a few weeks. Theo was

[Page 83]
also in Edinburgh and called twice, at the Hospital to see me but each time I was out. He has gone to Rothesay with his mother for a holiday and Mr Barker has at last started for Australia.
Several fellows came down to the Waverley Station to see me off and Frank, though he could ill spare the time from his work came down to Leith and saw me off by the steamer. I met Walker on board. It was blowing an Equinoctial gale on Friday and Saturday, but I did not mention this in my letter to Mother, as I thought I might not catch the next mail from the continent and if you had not got a letter and had heard of the gale you might have been imagining all sorts of horrible things. As the wind was off the land we had pretty smooth water all down the Firth of Forth and as it was a fine moonlight night I stayed late on deck, taking my long last look at Arthurs seat and other parts of the Scottish Coast. Before morning we were tossing about properly, and I was seasick

[Page 84]
and remained in my bunk all day. I was all right when lying down but felt queer whenever I attempted to rise and as the decks were being swept by the waves, I thought I should be much happier below. Fancy we who have made so many long voyages being sick crossing the German Ocean. But these small steamers always dance about much more than the larger ones. Walker was the only one out of 13 or 14 passengers who was not seasick. The next morning about six oclock we entered the Elbe, and, as it was smooth water here I was all right again. The scenery up the river was dull and monotonous in the extreme the country all around being low & flat and only an occasional windmill to break the view- not a sign of a tree anywhere.
We had to anchor for about 5 hours off the suburb of Blaukanese, about 12 miles down from Hamburg until the tide came in sufficiently to permit of our proceeding. At this place there were a few low hills,

numerous houses and a few trees. The remainder of the way, including the town of Altona we passed after dark so did not see much. We reached the wharf soon after nine, and drove to an hotel, where after a wash, we sallied forth for a walk. Next morning we had a short walk also and took a look at the church of Saint Nicolet the spire of which is the fourth highest of any edifice in the world. Hamburg is a much nicer place, judging by what we saw of it, than I had pictured to myself. The houses are large and clean, the streets well made and clean, and the town generally wears an aspect of comfortable prosperity.
Numerous steam trams, as well as horse trams, run in every direction & in the heart of the city there is a large lake which is very useful both from a sanitary point of view, and as a place for aquatic recreation as well as adding to the picturesqueness of the

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city. We left for Berlin by the eleven o’clock train and reached there, about five. After dinner went for a ramble and soon getting very tired turned into a concert saloon, and spent the remainder of the evening there. Lost our way, coming back to our hotel and did not get back till past twelve. Next morning went for a walk through Unter den Linden and a few of the principal streets and into a large park where was a monument to commemorate the Franco Prussian War. After this walked through the Art Gallery and left at two o’clock in the afternoon for Dresden. Berlin is a fine city. Of course we saw only a very small portion of it. Unter den Linden the principal street must be nearly 100 yards wide. Down the middle are two or three broad footpaths with trees on either side. On either side of these is a carriage way. Then more trees, then the pavement. In the Art Gallery, to which we could only pay a flying visit, amongst other curiosities were a number of the

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things dug out of the ruins of Troy, by Dr Schliemann. We reached Dresden about six, and after having had some thing to eat started on a tour of inspection of the city It seems a very nice quiet town and I understand many English people reside there. To get out of the city we had to pass through the old city walls which are over a hundred feet through. Beyond this we came to the Elbe and walked part of the way across the bridge which spans it from which we got a very fine moonlight view.
Next morning we were up very early and visited the picture gallery, where amongst numerous other splendid pictures we saw Raphael’s Madonna. We left at eleven & commenced the longest stage of our Railway journey, via Bodenbach, Prague and Brunn to Vienna. At Bodenbach we entered Austria and had to open our portmanteaus for the inspection of the Customs Officers Until within a short distance of Bodenbach there had been no scenery worthy to name

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all the way from Hamburg. But, about Konigstein we got into some grand scenery. Our route lay along the left bank of the Elbe. Across the river were grand cliffs and mountains, many capped with massive old castles, some in ruins some still inhabited
The huge rocks were in many places piled up in the most curiously shaped masses some exactly resembling castles. The hills were covered with vegetation, chiefly pines and through the ravines and valleys between numerous mountain torrents, and more quietly flowing streams added their waters to the Elbe. On our other hand the hills rose abruptly from the Railway line, so that our view here was not extensive but we got very pretty peeps through the thick vegetation of fern and moss covered banks, shady footpaths etc. After leaving Bodenbach the scenery though more extensive was not so fine though still interesting. Our route lay along the bank of the Elbe for a very long way. We did not see much of Prague as we passed through it and it
was dark before we reached Brunn.

We arrived at Vienna about a quarter to eleven having been travelling nearly 12 hours from Dresden and over 5 days from Leith. The last stage of the Railway journey though longer than some of the others was not so dull, partly because the scenery was interesting but also because the carriages were so comfortable, and running along the whole length of the train was a passage along the sides of the compartments by means of which we could walk from one end of the train to the other end and so stretch our legs. The next morning, Friday, we called on Giles, but he was out. We found him however at luncheon at his restaurant, and the same afternoon went to two classes, so you see we did not lose much time in getting into harness.
Next morning with Giles’ assistance we set about looking for lodgings. Living is frightfully expensive here. We at last

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took this room(Walker and I.) between us. It’s a double bedded room and serves us for bedroom and sitting room As we are out nearly all day, it answers our purpose well enough. Our landlady speaks not a word of English, and we know very little German so our attempts at conversation are generally embarrassing and often amusing. We have adopted the method of living almost universally adopted here. Our landlady brings us in coffee and rolls when she wakes us & this is the only meal we have in the house. Luncheon or, dinner as they call it here we get at a restaurant at one o’clock and "supper", about half past seven.
It is an expensive way of living but is the only way we can manage except by taking rooms in a pension, and everyone strongly advises us against these places The food is vile German stuff that would poison an Englishman, and it is a very great inconvenience to be tied to a

particular hour for meals, as we should be in a pension when attending hospital cliniques. It is little if any cheaper either. I had a letter from Arthur Purchas a day or two ago, and it is likely he will be here in a week or two.
This morning I had a letter from Frank Purchas. He tells me that no Australian letters came for me by last mail. I shall reserve my opinion of Vienna the teaching etc here until next time when I shall have had more time for forming an opinion.
So far I am delighted with the methods of study, and the facilities for acquiring practical knowledge & dexterity. This has been rather a hasty scrawl but I am pushed for time so goodbye dear old girl for the present. Love to father and mother and all the others and to yourself from your loving brother
Frank.

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Vienna
Sunday Evg 25th Jan 1885.
My dear old Flo,
Your turn for letter again I think. I hope it wont come to your turn again before I leave England for home. This thought of going home is my all absorbing thought just now. I cannot think of anything else- it interferes with my study and every thing- so I will tell you first for the information of you all what my plans are.
I intend leaving here on Wednesday 11th February, and as it is a very long journey to London I shall probably break the journey somewhere- I think at Nurenberg or possibly Cologne, and arrive in London, if all’s well on Saturday 14th, and I hope the Alexanders will find me an agreeable Valentine. I have had another letter from Mrs Alexander saying that the old gentleman (wonderful man he is) has

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improved a great deal lately, and that they will be delighted to have me with them. She thinks it will cheer the old gentleman up to have a man to talk to in the house. She has told me to let them know when I shall arrive as they want to meet me. Very kind, all this, is it not?
The Vanderbyls also asked me to go and stay with them while in London, but Mrs Alexander’s is an older invitation, dating from last September so I must go to her. I shall probably spend part of the time with the Vanderbyls. I have just received a letter from father telling me that Mr Dibbs has promised to give me the first vacancy that occurs in the emigration service so I shall proceed to worry Sir Paul Samuel directly I get to London till he will be glad to pack me off to Australia to get rid of me. Of course a vacancy may not occur for a long time

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and unless I see a probability of my getting an emigrant ship soon, I shall not want for it, because I shall be spending money in London all the time I am waiting and the longer I am in getting home the longer I shall be in getting into practice and during this time the money I might make might compensate for the loss of the emigrant ship- apart from my longing to get back to you all as soon as possible.
If therefore I find I am not likely to get an immigrant ship for some time I shall put the wheels in motion to endeavour to get a surgeoncy in any steamer I can get. It will not be easy to get a steamer for the single voyage but I do not care about going in a sailing ship, as it takes so long and wastes so much valuable time. This is all I can tell you at present so I cannot fix any definite time for you to expect me but I hope if all is well to spend my next birthday with you.

Cousin Sydney is at present in London trying to get a billet on a ship to Australia so it is possible that you may see him out there before I arrive. I have had two or three letters from him lately, and from the way he writes I think he must be a very nice fellow. If he be only half as nice or as good as his dear old father was he will do- Theo. Barker has arrived here at last. He turned up last Saturday (yesterday week) looking very well, and as brown as a berry- quite a peculiarity in this sunless country- He has been for a voyage to India and back, in one of the Clan Line steamers. He was very nearly wrecked in the Bay of Biscay coming home. The Captain gave the vessel up for lost and said they would never see Old England, again . Happily his prognostications proved wrong. Theo is digging with Artie Purchas, on this flat. He intends staying here five or six months.

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2. It is awfully cold here now. Edinburgh was nothing to it. For two or three weeks the thermometer has never risen above freezing point (except for a few hours one day) and at night it has been down to 2 degrees below zero, that is 34 degrees below freezing point or, about 40 degrees lower than you ever have it in Sydney. For the last ten days I have had a very bad cold- about the worst I ever had in my life, I think- It kept me in bed all one day but it is much better now. I shall never be free from catarrh however until I get away to a warmer climate. There is nothing in the shape of interesting news in Vienna. From England we hear of General Stuarts victory in the Soudan, and of the death of that fine fellow Colonel Burnaby, and today we have a meagre telegram in the Vienna papers (papers are published here on Sundays just as on other days), about the latest atrocity on the part of the dynamiturds

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viz to blow up the Tower and the House of Parliament. The fiends! Hanging is too good a punishment for such cowardly contemptible wretches. – I have had an offer through Artie from a doctor who has, a practice in Adelaide worth £2000, a year cash to go into partnership with him. The poor fellow is dying of phthisis, and is unequal to the work. What say you all? Shall I accept? Artie would jump at it but he will have to assist his father. –I heard from Lily Whitton last week. It seems probable that she will stay in England six or twelve months longer. She is much stronger than she was, but is not quite restored yet. I had a Xmas card from Lizzie Old a few days ago. It had been lying for some weeks in the Edinburgh University Post Office. This reminds me to thank you for the pretty card you sent me which I

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received safely two or three weeks ago I am thinking of you all as comfortably settled down in the new house now. How glad you will all be, and especially poor old father, to be all under one roof again. I have felt so sorry for the dear old fellow in his lonely uncomfortable life, all these last few years. Fancy Mother having taken to riding again. Bravo! I am quite proud of a mother who with a son of 3 28, can gallop about on horseback like a young girl, and not feel knocked up. I don’t think I could perform such a feat myself now. Alas for the degeneracy of my generation.- It will be six years tomorrow since we had that little picnic to Middle Harbour, do you remember?
How time flies to be sure!
Tuesday Evg 27th Jan. No more news and as the mail goes tomorrow, I must

finish off my letter. The weather is still intensely cold.
Love to yourself and all the others from
Your loving brother
Frank.

Flo

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Highfield Hotel
Hobart Tasmania
6th Feb 1910
My Dearest Nell
Your letter was a great joy to me sweet heart, and Ted & I laughed very heartily over it. But I am so sorry you had such a rough trying trip across- it was calm here so I hoped you were in a perfect mill pond all the way. It was very creditable that you had any meals at all. Phyl & I are having quite a change down here, she is having some fun & I am glad she can, & am quite satisfied myself to go out a little in the day time & to get a little solitude which was not possible at Fern Tree. Phyl has been twice to the Races this week, & to a big Reception last night to meet Kitchener. She wore her green & looked rather nice. There are a number of people staying here whom we know & like, but as we have not a private sitting room we are able to be alone.
Lady Barton has one, but I have not yet walked in & left my work bag so as to have it handy! It is cold today- we have just come in from church- at the

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Highfield Hotel Hobart, Tasmania. [stamp]
Cathedral- the service is so lovely here, I shd. like to go every day. We are looking forward to seeing Uncle Tom. John wrote me that you want new clothes badly, & mentioned the hat & dress you wore to church disparagingly But I expect you were at the end of your clothes really, on account of having no washing done for a fortnight. Don’t wear the mushroom to church, darling. If Auntie could get Miss Watson to come she could make you two coats & skirts. Phyl has just recommended waiting till my return, for her to come, so that we can see about them. Perhaps Auntie could still ask her if she could come in the beginning of April. Ask Pip if she can get your rain coat clean- it ought to do you for this year, & you must be careful not to get it so dirty again. I had such a nice letter from [indecipherable], ask Dad to show it to you. And please give the boys my love & tell them I will very soon answer their letters which were very much appreciated. When does my John go home? Love to the Aunts & Pip, I am often homesick. Ask Pip to please send me 4 P.C. printed clips to apply for letters to be sent elsewhere- I have to write to the P.M. Genl. in Sydney soon to …[ last line is obliterated.]

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3 weeks for a few weeks. After that- Home.
Lots of love & kisses, my precious baby. God bless you always.
Your loving Mother.

[Page 98]
Kingsdowne Cottage,
Kingsdowne Road,
Surbiton.
31.10.17.

Mother asks me to say that she has written several times to our Mother lately – also to you Father & Aunt Ella & hopes some of them have arrived.

My dear Nell
Your kind letter of sympathy should have been acknowledged before but it came soon after Margaret had arrived to stay with us & so I put off writing till after her visit, as the evening is my chief time for letters & we just sat together & were glad to have one another- She

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went back to her own people on Monday & will go on with her Red Cross work which seems the best thing for her at present as it is the Scottish headquarters for Comforts etc & she is among people she knows & likes & certainly work helps more than anything since she has no child to make an interest & occupation for her. She is wonderfully brave- but just heartbroken poor darling-
There is not much news- the war drags its weary length along & one realises more & more that it is not just a hideous episode in our lives & that when peace comes we can go on again from 1914, but that we shall have to face a new world with what courage we may- one does so want "to carry on" & be in a measure worthy of the freedom & peace for which these dear ones of ours gave their lives but sometimes it is desperately hard to think of the long years without them- though one could never wish them to have done otherwise & their dear memories will always be a help & inspiration- I will

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write you a more cheerful letter before long Nell dear, but think I have got sort of emotionally used up with Margaret’s visit & this week of anniversaries of Rupert’s leave last year & if I do not send a letter this week you won’t get it this year & I do want to send you a great deal of love & thanks for your understanding sympathy & always welcome letters.-
I know how anxious you & your Mother must be about Jack & I hope you will continue to have good news of him- it is so hard for you to feel so far away but you, I am sure, realise how badly every man is needed over here.

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Kingsdowne Cottage,
Kingsdowne Road,
Surbiton

2. Mother heard from Phyllis a few days ago- very happy of course as Peter had got his leave-
Mr. Martin remains the same but gets gradually weaker- his life is just a burden to him & one feels that his illness is wearing Mother out- but at least it gives her a definite object in life which has I think helped her through her great sorrow.

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I go every morning to Oakenshaw Hospital where I pummel about a dozen patients & give a few electric treatments- it is a nice little hospital & I like the staff & have some interesting cases- After tea I give massage to a disabled marine in his own home-
As soon as I have finished repacking & sending off Rupert’s things I shall go & make splints at the depot one afternoon a week anyhow
- we have been so glad to find real use for these things- His college books have gone to prisoners in Germany for whom lectures are arranged- some of the students have passed Matriculation while prisoners- The Civilian prisoners in Austria & Germany are very destitute so ordinary clothing can go to them & the Officers Families Fund is thankful for kit as such lots of officers really can’t afford to buy all they require- It has been a great relief to discover this & feel everything can be of value to some

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one.
Our air defences seem to have been doing good work & this moonlight week has passed without casualties- last month was a dreadful one & caused panic in the poorer parts of London which always suffer most as they lie south & east. We only hear distant firing as a rule but one night all our local guns were firing & it was far from pleasant & we could watch the shells bursting & our imaginations even rose to an aeroplane duel which I believe was not founded on fact!
Much love to your Mother & self
Yours always affectionately
Gladys Bert

[Transcribed by Lynne Palmer and Judy Macfarlan for the State Library of New South Wales]