Athol photo - sports day

We know that Athol and many of his colleagues enjoyed playing sport in their free time. Soccer was usually played against the English units but if there were Australian's about they seem to prefer Aussie rules.

There are no annotations on the reverse so no names or date. I presume this is a sport photo but can't even work out what sport they were playing. Suggestions welcome. (No - not netball).

Can you see the photo-bomber?

Athol photo - train ride

Sherika was at the end of the railway line. Athol refers to this as a 'toy railway' and we can see from this photo that it was indeed a much smaller type of rolling stock than the main system running along the Nile valley.

This image is quite faded and measures approx 80mm x 60mm

Athol photos - Pets

We know the men enjoyed the company of pets in their camps. Famously a kangaroo was taken from Australia to the Mena camp in Egypt in 1915 (see https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C02588/). It appears that 'A' Flight at Sherika kept a fairly tame monkey and a dog.

These images are about 80mm x 60mm and quite faded. I do not know the people in the photos, nor the dates as there are no annotations on the reverse.

Dog on a box with the lower half of a monkey on top.

Monkey on the top of a bell tent.

It looks like there are some cartons of stores, some washing hanging out to dry and

a dog and monkey on that same box. 

Athol photos - aerials

Athol mentions in one of his letters to his mother that he took some photos whilst travelling as Observer in one of 'A' Flight's machines. None of these images have dates on the reverse. The first two images measure approx. 80mm x 55mm. The final image is larger and has interesting annotations on the reverse.

This appear to be the Kharga Oasis and township. You can se ethe struts from the aeroplane on the top-right of the image.

Another aerial photo.

Athol mentions that they were flying too high for some of the images to make sense.

See letter dated 12 September 1916 (posted yesterday). The pilot was Lt Jones.

     

This pairing shows the photograph and the annotations on the reverse.

This appears to be the base for 'A' Flight at Sherika.

The annotations on the reverse read (from top and clockwise): 

'Tarmac, H.Q., Bath, Officers, Egyptian Cavalry, Hangars.'

It is tricky to make this out as they are written in reverse and you need to read them in a mirror.

Approx 120mm x 90mm. 

Letter - 12 September 1916 - record flight in Egypt

Athol writes home to mother. Of course, more parcels arrive. This time they contain an assortment of reading material, mosquito nets, cigarettes, food, clothing, socks and a pen.

Athol and Lt Murray Jones make a reconnaissance flight lasting 9hrs and 20 minutes which they think is a record for Egypt. This may be the flight recorded in the Official War History and I attach the relevant extract at the end of this post.

No.1 Squadron

AFC

Egypt

12.9.16

Dear Mater

Many thanks for parcels of food (1), clothing (1) and socks (1) also for Australasians (2), Punch (4), S.Talk (4), Mags (4), Tatler (1), Sketch (3) all of which came along during the last few days. Posted 24.7.16 and 7.8.16. 

I'm writing this with the pen you sent me. Our mail is a bit out of joint at present as there has been a couple of accidents on our toy railway and so traffic was suspended for about a week and now stores etc get preference.

Last Thursday four of us left here at 5am in two buses on a job of work up the Nile. We flew into the Nile Valley and then went up north over 200 miles only landing once to fill tanks. Then we went west again about 100 miles and did our job the same day. Lt Jones was my pilot and we were 9 hrs 20mins in the air which is I believe a record for Egypt. Next day we started for home but had engine trouble and landed again to get fixed. Next day, Saturday, we flew back here having done 14 hrs 10 mins flying in three days over a distance of 1,000 miles. Of course this is quite entre nous.

I took a few photos but they aren't much chop mostly too high up as we were between 6,000 and 7,000 feet most of the time.

I had by last mail a parcel from Miss Adamson of refills for my pocket torch and cigarette lighter. Also she sends me papers from time to time. 

It's a lot cooler here now and doesn't get light until nearly 5:30am.

We have a new observer here now, an Australian Lt Dawson from Sydney and a new chum at the game.

I think that's about all my little tale this time.

My love to Pater and the Aunts etc.

Yours lovingly,

Athol

P.S. Another parcel of mosquito net and cigarettes dated 26.6.16 came along just now from the Camel Corps Coy here for which many thanks. AGA.

Extract from FM Cutlack's volume of CEW Bean's Official War History - Volume VIII – The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918 (11th edition, 1941), Chapter 3, p.37.

Athol photos - 5 September 1916 - horse riding

These two photos show Athol horse riding and a column of Egyptian cavalry. The photos are quite small being about 80mm x 60mm.

Athol is on the left

The notes on the reverse read:

'2Lieut Hanmer and I on ponies

of Egyptian Cavalry. Taken by 2Lt Cruickshank

5.9.16'

There are no notes on the reverse of the photo. However I have grouped these two images together as this appears to show a column of Egyptian Cavalry. The composite force at the Kharga Oasis, Sherika, included Egyptian Cavalry as well as 'A' Flight AFC and other units.