Letter - 25 September 1915 - more parcels, a trip to the dentist, wind and rain

Athol writes home to Mother from the No.3 Australian General Hospital on Lemnos Island, Greece.

Athol receives more parcels. He mentions a few people he has come across at Lemnos: Bill and Jack Knox, Dr Stawell and Dr Lockhart-Gibson. He finds the island quite windy and there was been some rain too. He predicts that the winter will be quite harsh on the Peninsular.

                                                                                                                     Lemnos Island

                                                                                                                     25/9/15

Dear Mater,

Nos 20&21 arrived yesterday for which many thanks. Also a parcel which arrived last week and which I think I thanked you for in my last. Please thank Nellie Pateson, whoever she is, for the socks. I had a letter from Miss Adamson enclosing 2 wicks for a cigarette lighter she sent me some time ago. She had quite a lot to say about your state on Australia Day. I'm sorry you were disappointed over the results but you seem to have done pretty well yourself. The parcels of socks arrived safely and 'C' company has had two complete issues so far.

I'm glad you got the photos from the Rickards, I've not seen them myself as Mr R. only took them a day or two before I left. They are an awfully kind couple. She's a good deal younger than he is, and they couldn't do enough for me. They're looking after my suitcase now to save me the trouble of sending it to Cooks.

I saw both Bill and Jack Knox (that would be William Johnstone Knox and possibly his brother Jack Knox - more below) just before leaving the trenches, the former is in the artillery and the latter is in command of one of the Battalions of the 6th Brigade (probably the 23rd Infantry Battalion).

I saw the dentist yesterday, a Sydney man, and my teeth were A1 only two of the amalgam fillings had sworn away a bit so he added a little more to fill the teeth right up and prevent breakages.

I'm going to have my nose cauterized next week. Nothing much the matter but Dr Lockhart-Gibson thought it would be as well to get it done.

Dr Stawell is here in No3 Australian General Hospital as Lieut Col and Chief Physician. He has been laid up but I believe is getting about again now. I had a talk with him the other day.

This is a very windy place and it has rained a fair amount since we came. It won't be too good anywhere about these parts for that matter but I expect we'll find ways of beating the cold as well as the heat etc.

Tell Aunt Puff I didn't get the sox she sent from Colombo, they were probably wrongly addressed also she owes me a letter. Please thank Pater for the papers Australasian and Referee which come each mail.

There is no more news.

Love to all,

Yours Lovingly, Athol.

________________________**__________________________

Some notes about the men mentioned in Athol's letter:

William Johnstone Knox MC, Australian Field Artillery, died of wounds received in France on 20 August 1917. In 1917 he held the rank of major and was awarded the Military Cross. He was a member of the Stock Exchange in Melbourne and attended the Scotch College. His father, Mr William Knox was the member for Kooyong in the new Federal Parliament. William Knox MP was a prominent businessman in Melbourne and generally regarded as one of the key figures behind the success of the early days of  BHP, which became Australia's largest enterprise under his stewardship.  

I have not found anything on William Knox's brother (?), Jack H Knox.

Dr Lockhart Gibson was a Queenslander who joined the 1st AIF on 1 May 1915 (aged 55). He sailed from Circular Quay, Sydney on 15 May 1915 on the Mooltan. He held the rank of Major and being a specialist eye surgeon at the time of enlistment was in charge of the ophthalmic department of the 3rd Australian General Hospital on Lemnos. Equipment for this section of the hospital was paid for by money raised by the Red Cross, Queensland Division. All the eye casualties from the Gallipoli peninsular were treated by Dr Lockhart Gibson and his team. His appointment was terminated in May 1916. After the war he became president of the Ophthalmalogical Society of Australia. He was much involved in the community through the Presbyterian Church, the Brisbane Grammar School, the University of Queensland and the Returned Services League. He died in Brisbane in 1944.