Letter - 9 May 1916

Athol writes home to Mother. More parcels and letters arrive from Melbourne with shirts singlets and socks as well as food, chocolate and tobacco. Still garrisoned in Sollum there is not much to report to his Melbourne relatives and friends so he refers to the events his mother writes about in her letters including the engagement of Athol's brother V. H. Adams. (I do not know the young lady's name).

Sollum
9.5.16

Dear Mater,

Three more letters 41.42.46 and one parcel of clothing with silk shirt, parcel from Webbs with cigarette... and glasses, two tines of food from Fletcher Chester, and one tin of chocolate from Webbs London to thank you for this mail.

The leather watch holder I'm sure I acknowledged months ago. You know you don't want to take too much notice of what the returned heros say about one. A very large percentage of them are plain rotters simply on the make. If you see Jimmy Haig remember me to him. He's a good boy. Also the two Evans boys.

If you see any of the Knights remember me to them and tell them I was sorry to hear about Mrs Falkiner.

I think I have received nearly all the parcels you have sent. I know I have had over 15 tins of food and the two Xmas cases. Only one of perhaps two parcels were opened by the Battalion and I told one of the chaps that he could do so if he would send me anything special such as the presents you put in. That was Paddy Burke of MGS.

I have had all your letters except 43 up to 46, so I'm really very fortunate.

The silk shirts and singlets are A1 especially as the neck is alright now on the singlets.

I've had a pair of 'Pathan' sandals made by the Indian Battery and I'm getting black as the Bedouins.

Private cables are not allowed from here. I've been intending to write to Jim Borrowman but never have done so. Remember me to him.

Please thank Pater for the periscope. I have also received an 'Australasian' and 'Referee' addressed by you. That is the only paper I have had for a long time. If you come over this way cable me so that I can alter the course of my letters.

I have had a couple of letters from Dave and I'm glad that he has got into something at last. 

Thank Miss Joske for the sox. I gave them to a chap in the Camel Transport Corps. Say I'll be quite wealthy if the ... keep on at that rate. How many shares have I got altogether? I think May gave me some.

There has been an awfully good chap here the last 10 days, Capt Stapleton-Cotton, in charge of the Camel Transport Corps. He is a very wealthy man I believe and has an enormous business lightering, stevedoring and trading all over Africa. We have got on A1. He's going away today, worse luck for us, to take a big job on the War Office.

I'm going out for five days tomorrow and expect to do 120 miles, and not see anything more dangerous than a muzzle loading shot gun. That's all the news this time.

Love to Pater and Puff also to the Mrs H Adams presumptive.

Yours lovingly,

Athol