Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Sir David Gilbert Ferguson correspondence, 4 February-27 August 1915

MLMSS 2858 / Box 1 /Folder 2

[Page 1]
Mr. Justice Ferguson
Menzies Hotel
Melbourne

[Page 2]
“Wimbledon"
Greenknowe Avenue
Potts Point
4th Feb. 1915

My dear father,

I have been putting off this letter ever since I reached Sydney, but after seeing a march through the streets this morning, I am unable to put it off any longer. Nearly all my friends who have not already gone to the front were in that march, & of the very few that were not the following have volunteered or are going to as soon as they reach the February school of instruction:- Walter MacCallum, Alan O’Connor, Caesar Lucas, Harper & many others who you don’t know. I am

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not writing this without having given the matter a thought, on the contrary I cannot get it out of my head, & I fully realize what mother’s feelings must be; but surely when she hears that out of the mothers of those I have already mentioned, one, who has only just lately lost her husband, is giving three sons, & another is sending a son to fight her own brother, she will at least reconsider the question. And then looking at it from the point of view of my future life, I have enough self respect not to wish to be referred to as an officer with a certain amount of experience, who funked it when it came to the point, an officer who evidently joined for the sake of a uniform. I have also considered how it would affect my professional career, & am quite satisfied that even though I don’t go I will be absolutely unable to pass a single exam while the war is on, & when it is over I would probably look on mysef myself, & be looked on by my former friends with such contempt, that it would be useless my going on with my course. The effect it had on me before the December exams was not one fraction of what it is now. I’ve been doing good hours, I’ve written synopsis after synopsis, but the only thing my head will retain is the names of my friends who have gone or are going to the front. I don’t wish to appear selfish & I hope mother won’t think I’m ungrateful. If the appeals for men in Melbourne are anything like they are here I’m sure she will not. I think this is the first time I’ve ever mentioned the subject & am only asking for advice.

Your loving son
Arthur

P.S. Keith reached home quite well on Monday.

[Page 4]
O.A.S.

The Honorable
Mr Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
N.S.W.
Australia

[Page 5]
Egypt
21-4-16

My dear Judge

Today is Good Friday. We had a Church Service this morning & have the rest of the day off duty. I intend going into Ismailia to dinner tonight (C.O. willing). There is a splendid little Club there and all officers are hon. members. They serve an excellent meal and it is very nice to get away from Mess tucker occasionally.

We are training very hard now and have great hopes of getting away again. I think

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ost of us want to get into the firing line to have a rest. It is far too strenuous here by comparison. It is hard to write letters in Egypt without making remarks about the country and its climate but the swim in the Canal is glorious.

On Tuesday next the anniversary of the Landing we have a holiday and Brigade Swimming Carnival. It promises to be excellent. There are no boat races.

Bill Pitt is still in my Coy

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and is a good officer.

Norris has a bn. in this brigade. The latest arrivals are Langan and Coppleson both in the Field Amb.

There is nothing to write about. I am in splendid condition, have not had a horse for some time now (hence the condition) but the horses have now arrived. Saddlery is “coming shortly from ordnance".

Best love to all
C.R. Lucas

[Page 8]
Judges’ Chambers,
Supreme Court,
Sydney.

25 April 1915

My dear MacLaurin

I was so glad to get your letter. I thought it was of public interest, so I took the liberty of handing extracts to the papers, without mentioning names. At the same time may I say that over here we are rather bewildered at the idea that seems to prevail in Egypt about the effect of Bean’s letters. Of course there are always some people who are ready to jump to conclusions to the discredit of anybody, and I suppose there are some people here ready to believe that the Australians in Egypt have been misconducting themselves wholesale, just as they would believe it of anybody else with or without evidence. But don’t think for a moment that that is the general idea view, or even a wide spread view. By the time this reaches you, you will probably have much more serious things to concern you, but if the matter continues to be of the slightest interest, pray let it be known as widely as possible that nothing has happened to shake our affectionate pride in the boys who have gone overseas with our honour in their keeping, or our calm confidence that wherever they are they will do credit to themselves & Australia.

I am writing just as the big fight on the Yser seems to be turning in our favour. We don’t know where you are, but we strongly suspect that you are somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Dardanelles.

On Saturday we had a march of the 5th Brigade through the city – a very inspiriting sight. It was called a farewell, but we don’t know when they are going. I had a personal interest in it, as Arthur was part of it. He held back till his mother & I had been some weeks in Tasmania, & he learnt that she was much better for the trip – then he wrote to us a letter in Melbourne which left even her no wish to do anything but wish him

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God speed. Keith is very keen to go too, but I have asked him to wait. I doubt whether he could pass the eye sight test, and besides he is precluded from getting a commission now by the new regulation requiring officers to be 23 at least. That blocked Arthur for a while, but he managed to satisfy the authorities somehow that he was covered by a “special circumstances" reservation.

Of course you know that Holmes is to command the brigade. His battalion commanders originally appointed were Paton, Watson, Chapman & Lamrock. A day or two ago they transferred Watson to a Victorian battalion, & MacKenzie has been put in his place. Today I see that Paton goes to Queensland. I don’t know who Goddard, a Brisbane man will succeed him. Arthur is temporarily attached to Lamrock’s battalion, & Evan Richards of the 26th is also there as signalling officer. My associate, “Caesar" Lucas, is so far with Paton. He has still some anxiety, I think, as to whether his eyes will pass muster. Jim McManamey is second in command of MacKenzie’s battalion. Alan O’Connor was turned down under the 23 year rule, he has gone to London to try his luck there. Crawford of the 25th – the Rhodes Scholar lad – has gone for the same reason, although I think they had in fact put him down with Arthur as in the “special circumstances" class. Walter MacCallum is in the same difficulty, though I hear there is some hope of his getting through. It is very hard on his Mother, who has, I believe, more than one brother fighting on the other side; but she told Walter she thought it was his duty to go. Frank Coen, after vainly trying to get his resignation of his commission cancelled, enlisted in the ranks. I suppose he will get his promotion before the brigade goes.

Your letter caught me on circuit in the Riverina. There is an appalling drought there, beyond anything in the last sixty years they say. The district round Hay is a howling desert; & I’m afraid the losses of stock will be enormous.

The war still continues to overshadow everything, & I can’t think of any peace news that would interest you. You will have heard of Sir Francis Sutton’s death.

My wife & Dorothy & the boys all wish to be kindly remembered to you. Remember me to my friends with you.

Yours very sincerely
David Ferguson

[Page 10]
The Hon.
Mr Justice Ferguson
Wimbledon
Greenknowe Avenue
Macleay St.

[Page 11]
Liverynga,
Elizabeth Bay.

30 May 1915

My dear Ferguson

I was officially informed yesterday that Laurence has been killed in action. I cannot write about it but I know that you were genuinely

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interested in him, and I have a feeling that I should like to tell you the news myself.

I hope that the end came quickly.

I am
Yours sincerely
P.W. Street

[Page 13]
[See image for photograph referred to on following page.]

[Page 14]
The Honorable
Mr Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
Supreme Court
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

Camped at X passing thro Egypt. The building is the Heliopolis Hotel a place out of the Arabian Nights over 1000 rooms & now a huge hospital. Hear Mr. Justice Street’s nephew is better. Am still fit but would sometimes like a quiet morning with an undefended ejectment suit.

Regards to [indecipherable] & Byrne
Chas G. Addison

[Page 15]
On Active Service
No Stamps available

The Honorable Mr Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
Supreme Court
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 16]
[Reverse side of envelope.]

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No. 11

In the Red Sea
8 June 1915

My dear Judge

Am doing splendidly although the heat has been very bad the last few days. The Censor is allowing dates & places to be used so can tell you about all we know ourselves. We arrived at Colombo on the morning of Sunday 30 May and all the men were allowed to go ashore, not on leave, but by detachments, & marched through the town and round by the ocean beach back to the barracks. At the barracks they had a spell and a pint of beer each. This latter was very much appreciated. The heat was something awful but the marching was excellent. There were practically no white men to be available seen in the town. I think they must sleep all day on Sundays, but the native population turned out in good force & straggled along with us all through the march. Each detachment was ashore for about 3 hours and I am sure all the men greatly appreciated the privilege of being allowed ashore especially as they had been told

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definitely beforehand that they could not go ashore. After the men had been brought back on board the officers were again allowed ashore in relays. I had just 2 hours from the time I went over the side till I got back again and as the ship was about 1¼ miles from the shore it was a fairly hurried trip. I went with Lt. Pye of A Company & we hired a car, of which there are many very fine ones there, and had a 40 minutes run. We left the choice of route to our black driver. I don’t know where we went but it was the most glorious 40 minutes I have ever spent. The roads were perfect and heavily shaded by huge palms on either side. The bungalows, which are nearly all snow-white, are more beautiful than anything I had ever pictured and the colours of the foliage and lawns are glorious. I should have liked to have about a week in Colombo to go round slowly & enjoy its beauties. It is a most facinating place. The car, by the way, cost 10/- for 40 minutes. We must have run about 15 miles. We left Colombo at 9 oclock the same night.

We passed Perim at 5.30 yesterday morning and have been passing weird rocky useless

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islands periodically ever since. We shall, all being well, reach Suez at daylight on Friday morning. We don’t know anything about Arthur or any of the others nor have we any idea at present where we are going.

We have lost 2 men, one went out with the heat about a week ago and the other died last night. The latter man was a bad case of appendicitis & although he got through the operation & was doing very well, the heat was too much for him. Both were buried at sea. The burial service is a very impressive one but it seems strange that one death should throw such a cloud over the ship as it does.

All the men are very contented. Their food is still excellent and they work well in spite of the heat. They mostly sleep on deck and it is a weird sight to see them in very scanty clothing sprawled about all over the place in the most extraordinary attitudes.

At Colombo we got copies of all Reuter’s Cable reports up to 30-5-15 since when we have had no news at all. We are, of course, very anxious to get the casualty lists at Suez.

Please remember me kindly to Mrs Ferguson, Dorothy & Keith.

Yours ever very sincerely
C.R. Lucas

[Page 20]
On Active Service

His Honor Mr Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
New South Wales

[Page 21]
4th Battalion
A.I.F.
22.VI.15
Gallipoli

Dear Judge,

Very many thanks for your letter. It was most good of you to write and letters are such a Godsend to us here. You must please excuse the scrap of paper – but notepaper is very scarce here now. I am afraid there is no chance of intercepting your letter to MacLaurin. I have only recently returned from Hospital. MacLaurin was killed on April 27 & his letters are not now delivered here.

We are all very sick here at the way you are being deluded with the casualty lists in Australia. The fighting commenced at dawn on April 15 & in the first 2 days the Australian & N.Z. casualties were in the neighbourhood of 5000 - & by May 10 – 8000 – yet according to the Sydney files just to hand of May 15, you have been informed of some 1800.

Personally I only had 36 hours of it, & during that time managed to stop a shrapnel bullet on the top of the head (only a graze) – the nose of a shrapnel shell on my jaw & a bullet in the side, which luckily went through, & my lungs healed up in 3 days. The number of fine men who have gone is pitiable. The first boatload ashore of the 1st Brigade contained the following Officers, MacLaurin, Onslow Thompson, Irvine, Smith, Anderson, Massie, King & self. The first four named are dead, King & self wounded, Anderson & Massie have not yet been plugged. MacLaurin was shot in the head by a sniper – he lived a little over an hour, but never regained consciousness. My Colonel, Irvine & Smith were shot dead. And so it is right through the Division. My Battalion has had 20 casualties among the officers, & we have been one of the lucky ones.

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Another most scandalous thing – and one of which I can speak first hand - was the treatment of the wounded; (I say “was" because conditions are very much better now). Of course no one expected perfect organisation on land – the nature of the country & the operations prevented that. The authorities must have known there were going to be heavy casualties, yet the preparations therefor were terrible. To take my own case, I was put on a lighter at ¼ to 10 p.m. on the Monday night together with some 40 others. There was no water on the lighter & we suffered a good deal from thirst. We were over 6 hours going from ship to ship to get one to take us, but they were all full of wounded, until we were eventually put on a ship by slings. Bumping up & down against the ship’s sides whilst the middy in charge implored the various ship’s authorities to take us was not pleasant.

The A.M.C. doctors & orderlies worked magnificently – I don’t think they ever took their clothes off – they were simply splendid, but far too few: four on my boat. I did not get my wounds dressed till the Wednesday afternoon. Bandages gave out, & they had to tear up the ship’s sheets. 22 poor chaps died at sea, but I do not know if any could have been saved. They were not prepared for us at Alexandria. I was very lucky in getting to a good Hospital. Some poor devils were put into a building & had to listen to the incessant hammering whilst they fitted the place up as a Hospital.

The chaos existing in Alexandria & Cairo (I believe) is almost incredible, especially when you see what

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a triumph of organisation this place is, & what has & is being done – often under shell fire – with no wharves & a very steep hilly & rough country. We are in exactly the same place as on the first night. Looking at it now, I sometimes wonder how we ever got here. In many cases at the Base Record Office in Alexandria, they cannot tell you whether this or that wounded officer or man is in Alexandria or Cairo, or which Hospital he is in. During the 6 weeks I was in Hospital I never got a single letter from England or Australia. All the mail was delivered here – the letters of the wounded are marked “Wounded" & returned to Alexandria. Just to save trouble they are sent in bulk to Cairo (irrespective of the fact that half the wounded in Alexandria are Australians) and there they lie with a large number of Officers & men detailed to stay at the Base who apparently do nothing.

At the men’s Convalescent Camp in Alexandria, they get no pay, soap or towel & have to scramble for their food. They eventually return here with no equipment, not even a blanket or overcoat. In no case is it easy to get back to the Trenches – in other words it is easy for Officers & men not to get back, who wish to scrimshank. I personally was very lucky. I heard of a Hospital ship that was returning (they do not carry troops) & without any “By or with your leave" came on it. It is shameful. Yet these officers who have none of the heat, dirt, shells, smells & flies & live comfortably with a daily bath or baths will I suppose get C.Bs & C.M.Gs at the end of the war. At any rate they run no risks of punctured carcases or impaired health.

The most criminal - & that is the correct word – of all things & what we feel the most are the Reinforcements that are being sent us monthly to replace losses & wastages in our present 4 Brigades. Men are actually sent who have never fired a Rifle in their lives. Yet at any moment they may have to fight for their lives & those of their comrades. Very few of the Reinforcements are properly trained, & though willing enough, it is somewhat of a risk with the Turkish trenches in many places 50 yards away & in one place 6 feet.

I am afraid this letter has been one continual growl, but I thought you would like to hear things as they are, & of the feelings of us who are actually in the Trenches, though I am afraid I have not the power of expression.

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[The last page of this letter is written on a form entitled “Messages and Signals" and the contents of the form have not been transcribed.]
Life here is curious in our funny little Dugouts – “Possies" the men call them. The heat, flies & dust are rather a nuisance, but we get plenty to eat & an issue of tobacco weekly. Water is scarce – enough to drink, but none for washing. Some regard this as an advantage. Things have been very quiet lately - & we only have desultory shelling & rifle fire. The men are splendid though the Regiment is sadly knocked about. George Simpson is quite fit again. He got plugged in the arm, but was never a lying down case. I was much amused to see in the Sydney papers that I was slightly wounded. If that was slight, God forbid I should ever be wounded or worse still seriously wounded. The Sunday Times states I was a frequent contributor to their papers. To the best of my knowledge & belief I never wrote a line in my life for them. I am going to ask you to send me any of your newspapers which contain references to the Australians after you have finished with them.

We are not supposed to write anything of the happenings here - & I don’t think I have disobeyed – though possibly the Labour Party will consider the state of affairs at Alexandria etc. as “happenings". Many of us are beginning to wonder if we shall get billets on our return & if we return – or whether people will have no time for a brutal and licentious soldiery when the War is over. All this may sound pessimistic – but some of us, especially those who have been through things, know how rotten things are beneath the surface & how plausible Politicians & Members of the Defence Department are. General Birdwood & his Staff are splendid.

Thanks again so much for writing. I hope you will do so in future when you have the time.

Will look out for Keith
Charles M. Macnaghten.

[Page 25]
[See image for photograph with the title “Officers & N.C.Os A Coy 17"]

[Page 26]
No. 111

The Honorable
Mr Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
Supreme Court
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

Just informed mail closes tomorrow and as it is late & am very tired shall leave letter till next mail. Rumoured today that A.G.F. is at Suez. If so be here in about 2 days. This is a bad place. The sand is dust & the heat has been pretty bad. The name of this place is Heliopolis & is about 10 miles from Cairo. We had leave to Cairo yesterday, went to pyramids & had a fine time. No idea when we move out. We are very comfortable in big square tents.

Best love to all,
Yours ever
C.R.L. [C.R. Lucas]
20-6-15

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On Active Service
No stamps available

His Honor Judge Ferguson
Supreme Court
Sydney
N.S.W.

[Page 28]
Albury Hospital Building Fund
Mayor’s Appeal
Albury

June 23/15

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,

I shall be pleased to act on the committee to keep in touch with your Battalion, and would suggest that you also ask Mr. A. Waugh (Mayor of Albury) and Mr. R.T. Beatty (Gundagai) to act too. I am making an Australia Day appeal through the “Banner" and will suggest, when the money is being sent in, that part of it be applied as you suggest.

Sincerely yrs.
J.A. Gray

[Page 29]
Judge Ferguson

Dear Sir,

Will you please have names shown on this letter added to your list. Mr. Gray suggests the presenting of “Colours" to the 20th on our returns; from the people of Albury. Will you get in touch with him please?

Your son is in excellent health & has greatly improved as a leader. He should get another star shortly. I have already recommended it. Col. Lamrock is sick in Cairo & may not rejoin us. Major Jenkins is in command (temporary) & I am 2nd in command (temporary). We are at Lemnos & should be in the trenches within 24 hours. So far our men are in fine form & all anxious to fight.

Sincerely yrs.
R.F. Fitzgerald
20.8.15

[Page 30]
On Active Service
No Stamps Available

The Honorable
Mr Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 31]
Letter I
Recd. June 1915 probably posted Colombo

At Sea

My dear Judge

We are all well and comfortable and very happy. We had a few days (3 or 4) of rough weather after the 2nd or 3rd day out but she is a beautifully steady ship and we came through it wonderfully well. The sea for the last few days has been quite oily with a long slow swell which keeps the ship lazily swaying from side to side with a rather monotonous motion. I personally have not once been troubled with seasickness and have been as fit as a fiddle all along with the excepn. of a day and a half of innoculation troubles which however did not keep me away from work. There was a good deal of sickness amongst the men at first but they are all well now except the usual colds & that sort of thing. The officers have 1st class accomodation. My cabin is exactly similar to those on the Otway except that there is a communicating door with the next cabin in which is a chap of whom I am very fond and who is in the same company as myself. The service of the ship is run by the shipping company just as though the ship were on an ordinary passenger trip and the table is about the best I have ever enjoyed. The “Officers’ Mess" is quite the

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finest call of the day. The mens quarters are far better than I ever expected. My platoon is quartered in A troop deck, that is the one furthest forward and I am lucky in that I have the troop deck to myself except that 25 signallers occupy one corner of it. It is great to see the pride the men take in keeping their quarters well, and each mess orderly does his best to make his mess look better than all the others on the deck. I don’t know whether you have ever been on one of these boats but it may be interesting to describe out how the quarters are fixed up. The men are divided up into messes of from 12 to 15; each mess is under a corporal or lance corporal and tells off 2 mess orderlies who act for the week and each mess has a separate table which runs out from the ship’s side towards the centre of the ship. At the ends of the tables there are racks for the mess gear, plates mugs knives forks spoons &c. & each table has its soup jug tea can meat can and vegetable dish. Rations are drawn from the galley for each mess by its mess orderlies and so each is self contained. The only trouble with the issue of rations is the narrowness of the approaches to the galley and stores, which sometimes causes delay in the issue. The Rations are excellent and plentiful. These

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are supplied entirely by the ship and are in a different class altogether from the military rations, in the matter of cooking at any rate. Of course the facilities are perfect – the galley is always a marvel to me. For sleeping each man has his hammock and 2 blankets and these are slung at night on hooks over each mess table, and during the daytime are taken down, rolled up, & placed in racks. There are racks for everything – rifles, web equipment, kitbags and clothes. The centre of the troop deck is taken up by hatchway and ladders and this affords a fair amount of ventilation. The only time when the troop decks get really badly stuffy is when the sea is rough enough to necessitate closing the port holes and closing the hatchway doors. In the rough weather the ports use to go about 6 feet underwater at times & make the place for the time being a ghastly dark green colour.

We are doing as much work as the very cramped space and the roll of the ship will possibly admit permit, but of course the selection is very limited and candidly some of the work tends to become a bit monotonous.

We have seen neither ship nor land since our last glimpse of Australia. Most of us collected

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on the deck that night and watched the light and I think some of us felt what is termed on board a little bit sloppy, one gets like that occasionally.

We have been told what is to be our first port of call but beyond that we know nothing and it appears pretty certain that no one on board knows any more than we do.

It is getting pretty hot now and everything feels clammy and rather unpleasant. Drill hours have been curtailed; we now parade 6.30-7.15, 9.30-11, 2.30-4, and do not do any strenuous exercises. I am inclined to think myself that the hours are a little too short. The men would be just as happy on parade and it keeps them away from mischief. It is impossible to stop gambling on board and of course it is the stakes will probably be too high for some of the men.

It is rather difficult writing an about-to-be-censored letter. I think I have said about all there is to say.

Will you remember me kindly to Mrs Ferguson, Dorothy, Keith and also Whitfeld.

Yours very sincerely
C.R. Lucas

[Page 35]
On Active Service

The Honorable Mr Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 36]
Heliopolis
31-7-15

My dear Judge

I received a copy of Commen Songs & enjoyed reading same, they were quite refreshing. I was particularly taken with “Tipperary" in Latin.

Arthur arrived here on Monday night. They were exceedingly fortunate in getting in to camp in daylight & finding that their camp was already pitched & ready for them to occupy. I went along to see Arthur on Tuesday night & on Wednesday took him into Cairo to dinner. It was a great treat to me to talk to someone who had something to say about Australia. I am so deadly sick of this place and all its filthy ways.

I have been detailed to a School of Instruction in Machine Guns & have been here a week. The work is most interesting and I am enjoying it very much. The idea is to have a second officer (in addition to M.G.O.) trained in the M.G. work either in event of additional guns or casualties, and I am the second officer.

We do not yet know anything of what we are going to do or when we are going to do it but I do hope it won’t be

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uch longer, it is quite impossible to put much energy into work here.

Richards had vile luck. He has been left at Suez with appendicitis.

I saw J.W.S. Lucas in Alexandria the other day. He was sent over to Gallipoli & was there for a month without landing. He is 2nd in command of the … and after doing their job for a month they went back to Alexandria & have been there ever since. As the men are practically fully trained, J.W.S. has absolutely nothing to do and is consequently having a perfectly rotten time.

I have nothing else of interest to say. My mail supply is very poor. I am certain many letters sent to me have gone astray so the more there are written the better chance I have of getting some.

Best love to all the family
Yours very sincerely
C.R. Lucas

[Page 38]
On His Majesty’s Service

Mr. Justice Ferguson,
Judge’s Chambers,
Supreme Court,
Sydney,
N.S.W.
Australia

[Page 39]
[Reverse side of envelope.]
From Col. Ralston
Letter sent to Hon. Sec.
20th Battn. Committee

[Page 40]
Commonwealth of Australia
Attorney General
Melbourne, 14th August, 1915.

My dear Ferguson,

With reference to the matter which you some little time ago brought under my notice in connection with the stopping of leave for officers of the 5th Brigade in training at Liverpool, I am sending you herewith some correspondence I have received from the Department of Defence in connection therewith.

With kind regards,
I am,
Yours faithfully,
W.M. Hughes

His Honor Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
Supreme Court
Sydney.

[Page 41]
Commonwealth of Australia.
Department of Defence.
Melbourne. 28th July 1915

No. 43154

Dear Sir,

With reference to your letter of recent date, relative to an order issued, stopping leave for officers of the 5th Brigade in training at Liverpool, - I am directed to forward the attached copy of a report from the Camp Commandant on the matter.

I am to add that the Minister considers that in view of the circumstances, the Camp Commandant’s action was necessary for the proper conduct and discipline of the troops.

Yours faithfully,
T. Trumble
a/Secretary.

The Hon. W.M. Hughes, M.P.,
Attorney-General,
Melbourne.

[Page 42]
Copy
Australian Imperial Forces
(Infantry Depot)
Liverpool
7th July 1915

Headquarters,
2nd Military District.

Department of Defence No. 35103.

With regard to representations made to Headquarters regarding leave, I would point out that leave was not stopped entirely. But as it appeared that Officers absented themselves without leave, and when they liked, - in the D.C.s instructions it was deemed advisable to stop leave, except with the approval of the Camp Commandant.

This step was rendered necessary by the fact that on several occasions I visited the various Battalions and I found on each visit not more than two Officers were present and these very junior.

Leave was never refused to any Officer who could show a legitimate reason, and as a matter of fact Officers were given leave for the purpose of sleeping in Liverpool and spending their evenings with their wives, but it is to be regretted that even this was abused.

As regards the order being resented as implying a want of confidence in Officers generally in their attention to duty in this respect, but that it was deemed necessary, after consultation with the D.C. to curtail leave in manner indicated, in the best interest of the Brigade.

Attached is forwarded copy of Routine Order 159 para. 3, June 8th 1915, dealing with the question of leave.

(Sgd) G.K. Kirkland
Colonel
Commandant, A.I.F. Camp

[Page 43]
Leave
3 – The District Commandant directs that Officers are not to be granted leave except with the approval of the Commandant, A.I.F. Camp, Liverpool.

Leave is not to be granted to men except in special cases certified by C.O.s.

All applications for Officers leave must be in Headquarters for the approval of the Commandant not later than 10 a.m. daily.

[Page 44]
Commonwealth of Australia
Attorney General
Melbourne, 27th August, 1915

My dear Ferguson

I am sending on to you a further communication I have just received from the Department of Defence respecting the training of troops despatched from Australia to Gallipoli. You will see that in order to ensure a high standard of efficiency some recent instructions have been issued in the direction of materially improving the soldiers’ knowledge of musketry before they leave Australia.

With kind regards,
I am,
Yours faithfully,
W.M. Hughes

His Honor
Justice Ferguson
Judges’ Chambers,
Supreme Court, Sydney.

P.S. I’m doing the best I can with the matters you send along: but the Defence Dept. is very busy & doing its very best, but of course the machine creaks a bit. That is unavoidable.

Yours,
W.M.H.

[Page 45]
AHJ.

A.I.F. 369/1/73.

Commonwealth of Australia
Department of Defence,
Melbourne, 24th August, 1915

No. 50925

Dear Sir,

In continuation of my letter of 20th August, relative to a communication from Mr. Justice Ferguson, regarding troops sent from Australia to Gallipoli, I am desired to inform you that complete arrangements are made to ensure reinforcements receiving adequate training, either in Australia or Egypt, before being drafted to their units at the front.

2. In order to ensure a high standard of efficiency, recent instructions have been issued that, before any soldier leaves Australia, he must complete the musketry course prescribed for the British Army.

Yours faithfully,
T. Trumble
Acting Secretary.

The Hon. W.M. Hughes, M.P.,
Attorney-General,
Melbourne.

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Grand Continental Hotel
Cairo

The Hon:
Mr. Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
The Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

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Grand Continental Hotel
Cairo, Egypt
14th March 1915

My dear Judge

I was delighted to get your letter although I was very sorry to hear of Mrs. Ferguson’s ill-health. I trust that she is restored to good health by now.

We have all been working very hard here indeed, and the Troops are exceeding all anticipations. You can imagine how upset everyone is by the extraordinary stories that are circulating throughout Australia about the conduct of the Division. The real facts are as follows. For a short time after we landed, the men were naturally attracted by the novelties of Cairo. With 20,000 men it can be easily seen that some would play up for a bit while their money lasted. Think of a Country where there is no control of liquor traffic & where in the native Quarter brothels are as numerous or more so than public Houses in certain Country Towns, & you get the explanation at once. Seriously, I wonder that there was not more looseness than actually existed. Bean wrote his letter to the Australian papers with the very best of intentions – to prevent the people from being deceived by the like of those returned as unfit to serve. Unfortunately, some persons have tried to read between the lines of his letter – always a dangerous thing to do - & have cruelly imagined that

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the force was undisciplined, & that the officers were not doing their job. I say & say deliberately that the Division is a show of which Australians ought to be proud – the discipline is strict, the men are well behaved, the Training is good & the officers really do run their jobs well. If any one tries to tell you otherwise, don’t believe it. It is a bit annoying – to put it mildly – to feel that people at home are doubtful & dissatisfied & critical, when we who are here know that they have had false & in some cases malicious accounts given them.

The men are all very keen & work like Trojans, & they deeply resent some of the things that are said. However, there is no use in getting warm about it. It is sufficient to say that the Division is by far the in advance in point of training & discipline what we might reasonably have expected.

As for the 1st Inf. Bde. I really do think that N.S.W. might be proud of it. I have had very little trouble in keeping discipline. The Bde. is now a living organic unit with a fairly established esprit de Brigade, so to speak. We have been complimented upon the state of our war equipment & upon the nature of our training. I need say no more.

Young Street is quite well again & is doing duty with his Battalion. So there is no need for his father to be anxious.

Goodbye,
H.N. MacLaurin

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Deceased
Killed in action 27/4/1915
D.M. King
Captain
B.M. 1st 1.13

Colonel MacLaurin
O.C. 1st Infantry Brigade
Australian Division
Egypt
or Elsewhere

R.L.

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[Reverse side of envelope.]
Judges Chambers,
Supreme Court,
Sydney.

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Judges’ Chambers,
Supreme Court,
Sydney.

3 May 1915

My dear MacLaurin,

I open my letter to say how proud we are of the news that is coming through. We know very little yet – only that you have landed on the Gallipoli peninsular & are putting up a big fight. And now we are beginning to get the casualty lists. They hurt.

The first news we got was a cable from the British Government congratulating Australia on our men’s splendid bravery & magnificent achievement. Then a cablegram from the King. But they didn’t tell us what it was all about. It was this that evoked from Adam McCoy “A Rhyme for Censors" in the Sun. Now the news is trickling through, but we are told that there will be no more communiqués till the next stage of the operations is complete.

The Rabaul business is unpleasant. Cols Watson & Paton are being kept there till the enquiry is over I understand, to give evidence, I suppose. It’s hard luck for them, they will have to wait for the next contingent.

I saw Jim McManamey

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in camp yesterday; he is looking very well & fit. Major Jenkins is at present second in command to Lamrock (20th Batt.), Uther Adjutant.

I haven’t seen ‘Banjo’ Paterson since his return, but I hear he is saying things about you that are very gratifying to all your friends.

Goodbye, Good luck,
Yours sincerely
David Ferguson

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r. Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
Sydney
N.S. Wales
Australia

S.R. Kent

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16 June 191 5 6

To
Dear Mr. Ferguson

I am just dropping you a few lines to let you know how your Son Captain Ferguson Got killed as I have been his batman ever since the 20th Battalion has been formed & he was a man I very muched liked. He met his death on Wednesday about 3 o’clock which was instant Death to Him. There were all B Company’s Officers in the dug out at the same time & Leuit Campling was severely wounded & died on his way to the Hospital. Mr. Barlow also got wounded, it was by a shell. All his things which are here I am packing them up so they can be sent on to you as Mr. Harper & Mr. Kent is in charge of them. Well Mr. Ferguson this is all I can say as I can tell you it has broken me up. Hoping you Mr. Ferguson & Mrs. Ferguson will take it in Good Part and keep up all Spirits.

From his Batman
Pte. A.L. Little
607

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The Honorable
Mr. Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

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[Reverse side of envelope.]

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IV

Aerodrome Camp
Heliopolis
26-6-15

My Dear Judge,

We have now been at this place just a fortnight. Heliopolis itself is really a fine place, dumped down on the edge of a desert, with a good many very fine buildings & excellent streets & shops but as soon as you get about 100 yards [?] outside the town you get on to just a limitless waste of almost flat country with nothing to break the monotony except an occasional nigger with an overladen donk and a few willy willies. I have always heard this place spoken of as being sandy but that is scarcely the case it is rather a mixture of small pebbles & choking light dust. It is awfully heavy going in this stuff & it is most distressing on still days to march any distance because the dust just hangs in a cloud & you cannot see more than about 6 sections of 4s ahead. The sun put a good few men temporarily out of action at first but after a few days it got much cooler and we have not had many troubles since. Occasionally we have a small treat in the way of a dust storm which sweeps up very suddenly & works something like a stage curtain. It blots out everything beyond a range of about 20 paces &

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it is very difficult to keep one’s bearings.

Artie has not put in an appearance yet. We have been expecting them for the last two or three days and their camp site is all ready to receive them. When I say we expected them, I mean that the usual rumours have been about that they were coming and of course the man in the ranks knows more about this sort of thing than we do.

We are going on as strongly as possible with our training. Parade 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. with plenty of trench digging & bayonet fighting, 11.15-12.30 Lectures and musketry instruction, 5-7 usually extended order work attack & defence. The ground is not at all unsuitable for trench digging. The top foot or so is very crumbling and falls in badly but when you get below that it is quite firm & easy to dig & the results are quite decent. All the men are as keen as mustard and trenches are completed in a wonderfully short time. The attacking work is very difficult. The only cover available is an occasional small fold in the ground which is usually quite unnoticeable until you get into it and the advance has to be made in full view of the defence. Apart from this each time a line moves

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a huge cloud of dust rises & makes the thing more as conspicuous as it otherwise would be. I have been detailed with 5 other officers to undergo instruction in Machine Gun work and find it most interesting. One other officer & myself were attached to the M.G. Section this week for a two day bivouac. We had a most enjoyable time & really got quite a good idea of the radical use of the gun & its strong & weak points. It is an excellent idea to have sort of supernumerary M.G. Officers. We are told that the percentage of casualties with the M.G. Officers is enormous.

The Bn. is going through a course of musketry this week, each man fires 75 rounds. I think it will largely depend on our showing there whether we push off straight away or wait till the balance of the bgde. is ready.

I received a letter tonight from my cousin J.W.S.L. He is at Cleopatra 2 miles from Alexandria and does not say whether he has been in action or whether he is wounded or what. He simply says that he has “returned temporarily from Dardanelles". He wants me to go up to see him and I am making a big effort to do so after completing the musketry. He wants me to join his

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regiment. I shall not do so. I have no desire to join artillery. I don’t know anything about its work and of course it would not be playing the game for the 17th.

All the men are apparently quite happy. There was considerable discontent about the rations at first but that has been put right now. In addition to the issue of meat, tea & vegetables, each man is allowed 8½d per day to be spent for him at the canteen. This spending after a lot of trouble is now done by platoons and the scheme is now working well, the spending is done on such things as jam, tinned fruit, rice & so on as the men themselves decide.

I have not been too well off in the matter of leave. As a matter of fact I have been to Cairo only once & then did not get there till 4.30 p.m. I am going again tomorrow if all is well but have to be back here about 5 p.m.

Kindly give my best love to all at home. My address will best be just “Egypt".

Ever yours sincerely
C.R. Lucas

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His Hon.
Mr. Justice Ferguson
Judges Chambers
Supreme Court
Sydney
N.S.W.

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[Reverse side of envelope.]
Orient Line of Royal Mail Steamers.

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On board the R.M.S. “Orontes"
9th July

My dear Ferguson

Thanks for yr. v. kind letter. It gave me great pleasure – for I look on you as one of the really inner circle of friends of my heart.

If I get off now, or go to Egypt later I’ll hunt up yr. boy as a matter of course. Unless Evil befall the [indecipherable] now I’ll [indecipherable] and go on straight to England. The ship is a good one but 111 nurses and 26 Doctors are perils beyond those of the sea [?]. Most of us a v seasick – (a S.W. gale and a head sea). All good wishes.

Yrs. v sincerely
R.S.S. [R Scot Skirving]
I also am ready to feed the fishes - [indecipherable] have done so – but not audibly thank goodness.

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On Active Service

Charles Wassell

The Honorable Mr. Justice Ferguson
Judges’ Chambers
Supreme Court
King Street
Sydney
N.S.W.
Australia

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Charles Wassell

“Gallipolli"
28/8/15

My dear Judge

As stretcher bearers are allowed practically anywhere I often take a trip to other portions of our front & when out last Wednesday heard that your boy’s battalion was in one of the gulleys, thinking you would like to hear of him I dug him up from a temporary home in a Turkish hillside. You will be glad to know that he looks in good trim being very brown & seemed to be quite at home in what are undoubtedly novel surroundings. There was very heavy firing on that flank last night so I presume his company has been action. Also ran across Jim McManamey & a mile or so further on saw W.S. Hinton, A.J. McDonald (Solicitor), Caesar Lucas, Jack Maughan (of Norton Smith) and my nephew Wilfred Addison (who was killed next morning). Wilkie MacKenzie & Frank Coen are on the Peninsula & I shall look them up when possible. After some months here feel O.K. and being hit by a number of stones scattered by a bursting shell is the only incident so far that could shake the confidence of the A.M.P. Society in their various silks over my life. The weather is rapidly becoming colder & thick socks & underwear will be appreciated very shortly.

With kindest regards & remember me to Byrne,
Yours sincerely
Chas. G. Addison.

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His Honour
Mr. Justice Ferguson
Supreme Court
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

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[Reverse side of envelope.]

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Ghezireh [also spelt Gezira] Hospital
Cairo
27th April 1915
(September)

My dear Father,

Hell & Gallipoli are two words which frequently associate themselves in my mind. If by any chance they are closely united, I think it might almost be worth while living a righteous & godly life in order to avoid gaining any further information about a place of which we are at present very little acquainted, namely Satans charming abode. Probably if the truth were known, we would find that while the Creator was fiddling about making flies, Old Nick in his meddling sort of way spoilt this little planet by dropping Gallipoli thereon. The place is absolutely indiscribable. Even where the country is not strewn with several-week-old corpses it smells ungodly.

We reached Anzac about half past nine on the 21st August, but I did not get ashore with my party till about three or four o’clock the following morning. I was second in command of B Coy at the time, as I have been ever since. We could see the flashes of the big guns & here the firing long before we reached the shore, & when we anchored some half mile or so out we stopped several

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stray rifle bullets, one man being unlucky enough to have moonlight put through his stomach; I was beside him at the time. After landing I blush to state what happened, in fact it would be unwise to put it in writing, as it might entail criticism of higher authority; but during the early hours of the morning I managed to get under moderately heavy rifle fire by taking more interest in a certain party of men than any one else seemed inclined to take. That day we rested. That night we moved on, all thinking we were going to support the 18th which had been badly cut up the previous night. Our destination however, turned out to be a gully where we were to remain a few days in reserve. It rather amusing the way the [they] send you to rest gullies & reserve gullies where, when you get there, you find you are in running quite as much risk as in the firing line. We were here for few two days a suffered twenty casualties – several deaths & one leg blown off. Two hours after we left twenty shrapnel burst where we were camped. From there we went straight to the trenches where we have been ever since.

The trenches are an eye-opener. If there ever was anything that defied the laws of all military manuals & handbooks, it is every single thing we do in Gallipoli, & the greatest offenders of are the trenches. The work that must have been put into them is inconceivable. You can walk for miles upon miles in saps of from six to eight

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feet deep cut in hard dry clay. Our own particular position which is at present the first of a large turning movement, is one of the most interesting. It is a regular city of trenches, in fact all the streets have to be named to facilitate communication. There are reserve trenches, communication trenches, fire trenches, dug-outs on either side off all these, except the fire trenches, like houses on either side of a road, telephone offices, headquarters, dressing stations.

During the day time, of course, nothing but the periscope rifle can be used, as in some parts our trenches are only ten yards away from the Turkish trenches, & the Turks have proved themselves too good marksmen for us to risk our brain-boxes above the parapet. When I speak of periscope rifles, I don’t mean the sort of thing the Sunday Times illustrates, & contrary to a statement made in that estimable paper, I beg to state that periscope rifles are never used to resist an attack.

The sights you see from the trenches are not invigorating. Look over the parapet & the first thing that catches your eye, is corpses in all stages of decay strewn all over your front, some in heaps, some scattered; some so close that you can touch them with a rifle, others actually partly buried in the parapet. The unfortunate part about it is that the majority of the corpses in front of our particular section are Australians, but we get our own back by using the protruding feet of a Turk, who is burried in our parapet as

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an elbow rest. In another part of our trench we keep a late Turk burried under a blanket, he is so late now that he has almost ceased to make his presence felt. Another sight which you are likely to run into suddenly as you turn a corner, is the upturned face of a New Zealander who is lying across the parapet on his back with his feet towards the enemy. Of course the body is absolutely black, as is the case with all of them by this, & the meat is gradually receding from his skull. Still nobody minds little things like that, the thing that does upset men is the abominable stench which hangs heavily over everything, & the swarms of flies which crawl over & stick to everything & everybody. With this disgusting stench & practically nothing but bully beef & dry biscuits to subsist on, is it any wonder that such an enormous percentage of men are going down with sickness? They try as far as possible to keep the men in the fire trenches for only 48 hrs. & then give them 48 hrs. fatigues etc. before going in again. Our Company got in, however, & stayed there for eleven days & consequently suffered fairly severely. I was unfortunately enough to fall ill the morning before we entered the trenches; that night I started my duty – 4 hrs. on & 4 hrs. off with 1 Company Commander - & continuing this for 11 days did not tend to strengthen me, in fact on several occasions on the last day or two, I had to be helped up after sitting down. It’s a peculiar thing, that although dozens of non-coms & men used to ask how I was & advise a rest

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only one or two of the officers noticed that my condition wasn’t normal. I had foolishly made up my mind not to leave the firing trenches till we were relieved or on a stretcher, & fortunately we were relieved before the latter mode of exit was necessary. During the whole of that time I didn’t eat as much as I would normally eat in two days & during the last four days my nourishment consisted of 4 3 eggs which my orderly managed to purchase on the beach – one egg per diem with one day missed for luck. However I’m well on the mend now, & by the time you get this, hope to be back in the trenches. I’m very comfortable here & being well looked after. In this ward besides myself are one Colonel & 5 Majors.

I have a number of photos which I took before leaving Cairo which I will send over in a less bulky letter. We were not allowed to take our cameras to the front.

Your loving son,
Arthur

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On Active Service
No stamps available

His Honour
Mr. Justice Ferguson
“Wimbledon"
Greenknowe Avenue
Potts Point
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 74]
Received 2 Sep. ‘15

At Sea

My dear Father,

I’m afraid I have again left my letter writing too rather late. All mails have to be handed in tomorrow in order to give the censors a chance to go through them. We still have quite a considerable time on board, but from what I’ve seen, quite a large quantity of midnight oil will have to be burned in order to get through them up to time. It’s not from want of time that I left it so late, I’ve found plenty of time to do a good deal of military reading, prepare quite a number of lectures, read one novel & in between times read, learn & inwardly digest the Golden Treasury [by Francis Turner Palgrave]. With a few alterations in the selections it would be an ideal book.

To get onto what limited news there is to give, I must first admit that the work is getting fairly monotonous, chiefly on account of the limited space. If we had plenty of space there would be heaps to do, but with only about fifty square yards deck space for to accommodate about as many men, you can imagine that the variation available is fairly limited. We get up every morning at six o’clock, or rather the bugle goes at six & we get up in time to be on

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parade at half past. From half past six till seven we do whatever physical exercises the weather & atmospheric conditions permit. At a quarter past seven we go down to the troop decks to see our men fed, & at eight o’clock we feed ourselves. Between breakfast & ten o’clock we rack our brains to find something to do on the next parade, & at ten o’clock we carry out the suggestion of our fertile brains, that is, of course, unless we again change our minds after falling in, which is not infrequently the case. If, for instance, you had decided to give a lecture, & after falling in you find that the platoon next door has chosen the delightfully noise occupation, known as rapid loading & unloading with dummy cartridges, you would make a dismal mess of things in general, if you carried out your first intentions, & so you decide to contribute as much as possible, to the already very successful pandemonium. This parade, however, for my platoon, generally consists of a little semaphore signalling, a little musketry, & a small talk on general subjects which contain information likely to prove useful at any time. This parade, until quite lately, lasted till eleven forty five. At twelve fifteen we again enjoy the pleasure of seeing our commands fed & at one o’clock we enjoy the far greater pleasure of feeding our noble selves. After this meal, we are again confronted with the difficulty of providing work for the "two-to-four"

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parade. On this occasion I generally decide on an hour’s lecture, varied every day to prevent monotony, followed by questions rising from the lecture, and these in turn are followed by my own questions on general subjects to find out weak points. From four we are free till mess. The men partake of their nourishment at five fifteen & the officers at six thirty. Occasionally after mess we deliver short lectures to our non-coms, and here our day’s toil usually ends. "Lights out" goes at nine o’clock, but this does not apply to officers’ quarters.

With the exception of a few poor unfortunate permanently sea-sick blighters, the officers & men are having, on the whole an excellent time. The food in both cases is all that could be wished for, although the men’s feeding accommodation is rather cramped for hot weather; it makes them feel a bit like the proverbial sardines. Still they don’t do too badly. Between certain hours they can get iced water, they can buy all sorts of luxuries at the canteen & are generally very satisfied. At night a large proportion of the men, as well as officers including myself, sleep out on deck, & so leave the troop decks comparatively cool, in fact if there are not too many sleeping between decks, it is cooler there than in our own quarters, which are close up to the engine room. The most uncomfortable job an officer on orderly duty has to do, is to stand in the galley while the meals are being issued to the men. This generally lasts about twenty minutes or half an hour, & at midday is an excellent

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substitute for a Turkish bath. It’s marvellous the work that is done in those gallies. There is only a very limited space to cook for the number we have on board, & yet they do it sufficiently well to avoid complaints from the men, & that is really an accomplishment to be proud of. You may go into that galley any time during the day, & you’ll see five or six men going hell for leather to have the next meal ready. The next letter will probably be written ashore. I forgot to mention before, that we are being so well looked after that I will be able to send down to my men, twelve pounds of pound cake & two tins of biscuits. I am finishing this letter during a night watch, in the intervals between my rounds & so it is probably pretty disconnected. I got everything that you sent aboard including a letter which has the power to cheer me up whenever I lapse into "That sweet mood when pleasant thoughts bring sad thoughts to the mind". Probably I have misquoted, but still you know what I wish to express. I must say goodbye now till next mail.

Your affectionate son,
Arthur

[Transcribed by Judy Gimbert for the State Library of New South Wales]