Letter - 7 March 1915 - field exercises with Light Horse, ASC and Field Ambulance

A letter from Lieut A. G. Adams to his mother (which was sent to Melbourne, then New Zealand and finally caught up with her in Sydney). A.G. Adams describes an army field day in which a number of units exercised with the Field Ambulance, Light Horse and ASC (Army Service Corps - which provided logistics support). After attending the races he meets a girl, Una McKellar, at a dance held at the Continental Hotel. His thoughts turn to what lies ahead - perhaps Turkey.

No mention is made of his 4-day stint his hospital (26 Feb to 2 March).

The text of the letter appears below the images.

Dear Mater, 

Many thanks for your cable and also a letter. Nothing much has happened here lately. 

We had a big field day last Friday and Saturday. We started at 2:30pm and attacked a position about 3 miles away. The 1st Brigade was on our flank and the Light Horse were out in front acting as a screen. The whole thing was really to give the Ammunition Column and A.S.C. and Field Ambulance practice. We worked until 6:30pm then rested until 8:30pm and worked until about 1:30am, then started again at 5am and finished up about 7:15pm and returned to camp. 

I was on a regular court martial for instruction on Saturday morning. It was from 10am and lasted until about 12:30. I had a nice little sleep during the proceedings. 

I went to the races in the afternoon. It is a nice little course and the racing was pretty good though none of the horses here are very fast and the times are no good. They have the 'tote' here so I didn't lose all my money and in the evening I had dinner at the Continental with some of the other officers from here. They have a dance there every Saturday but I only knew one girl Una McKellar and I met one other. As there are about 10 men to every girl it was not very exciting so I cleared out early. 

It has been getting pretty hot here lately, though the nights are still very cold. The 3rd Brigade went away about a week ago and we'll be moving soon though exactly when nobody knows or where, though it is somewhere by sea, probably to Turkey, which will be a good place to make our debut. 

There isn't anything else so I'll ring off.  

Love to Pater and all enquiring friends. 

Yours lovingly
Athol