Letter - 18 October 1915 - still in hospital

Athol writes home to Mother from a convalescent hospital in Alexandria Egypt. Athol notes that his mate Sperry Hill was recently sent back to Anzac. He has lunch with the Rickards family and makes frequent visits to another injured mate, Les Craig, at the No.19 Australian General Hospital. He takes a tour of the cotton market.

18-10-15

Dear Mater,

Still down here though I'm perfectly fit. I think that the R.A.M.C. (Royal Australian Medical Corps) think that any Australian who has been in the show since the beginning is due for a bit of a spell. I'm in No.1 Convalescent Hospital, a German's place and quite palatial. I've not had any letters but expect there will be a bunch awaiting for me at Anzac. Sperry Hill went back today. He wanted to be remembered to you.

I'm going to try and get down to Cairo for a day or two. I believe Jim Borrowman is still there. He has lost an arm I heard. I had lunch with the Rickards yesterday. I went down and saw the cotton market in operation the other morning with the head of the cotton department of the National Bank of Egypt, a Mr Thomas. It was quite interesting. I go out to No.19 Hospital pretty well every day to see Les Craig (see note below). I don't think you knew him, he used to come up with Boo Watson after tea to Fairlie (see note below) when we were doing junior public. He will be sent to England by the first hospital ship. Love to Pater and all enquiring friends,

Yours lovingly,

Athol

NOTES

Lieutenant Les Craig. I think this is the man referred to in Athol's letter. He was a junior school friend of Athol's. If this is the same Les Craig he served with the 10th Light Horse Regiment. During the August offensive he received gunshot wounds to his left leg and right arm. He was evacuated to Alexandria and whilst his right arm healed his left leg was amputated. He was sent to the UK for further treatment at Wandsworth in 1916 where he met an Irish nurse. They married and returned to Australia where they raised four children. 

Lieutenant Les Craig, 10th Light Horse. AWM image reference: P08414.002

Fairlie House, South Yarra, was divided into a series of apartments. This the accommodation Adah arranged for herself and her four sons after their home 'Almeida' in South Yarra was sold upon her father's death. This image shows the interior decoration of the main entrance foyer. Dame Nellie Melba could have visited her friend Adah at this property. Certainly she addressed one of her cards to Adah at this address. See the blog-post at: http://notmentionedindispatches.blogspot.com.au/p/mother.html

Fairlie House interiors. South Yarra 1880s.

Note the lyre-bird feathers on the pillar and animal skin rugs.

Ref: http://broachedcommissions.com/commissions/2013/east/curatorial_essay.html

Fairlie House interiors. South Yarra.State Library of Victoria image ref: Image H97.251/4