Athol photos - sightseeing whilst on Christmas leave

Athol appears to have taken these photos whilst on Christmas leave. They are about 80mm x 60mm. It appears they were all taken on the same roll of film as they have a similar black edge. Athol refers to this period of leave in his letter written on 28 December (yesterday's post) and his visit to Port Said and Alexandria to meet Tug Duffy.

Note the signage on the shopfront on the right 'Feather Store'.

The streets are virtually empty so maybe this was very early morning.

Probably Alexandria or Port Said.

Another mainly deserted street. Probably Alexandria or Port Said.

Probably Port Said as Athol said he went there to meet his friend Tug Duffy who was expected to arrive by troop ship. The ship was late so they ended up meeting later.

Probably Port Said.

Probably Port Said.

28 October 1915 - Attached to Transport Section - Mex Camp, Alexandria

A.G. Adams was transferred to the Transport Section, Mex - Alexandria, on 28 October 1915.

AWM service records

Note:

The Mex Camp was located in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It is not far from the site of the Ancient lighthouse and library. There is a port nearby as well as a fort. Mex camp was used as a transport/holding facility in WW1.

Image of the Mex Camp, Alexandria, Egypt.

Image No: A00454

Photographer: Thomas William Kerr

Dated c.1915

Photograph held at the Australian War Memorial

Post card - 22 October 1915 - No1 Convalescent Hospital Alexandria, Egypt

Athol sends a post card home to his mother in Melbourne. The picture on the front shows the No.1 Red Cross Convalescent Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, which was once the property of a German family.

Alexandria

22.10.15

This is the place I've been in for a week. No.1 Red Cross Convalescent Hospital. It is the property of a German family.

Love 

A.G.A.

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

13 October 1915 - dysentery - Alexandria

A.G. Adams was diagnosed with dysentery on 13 October 1915 and was admitted to the Syrian Convalescent Hospital, in Alexandria.
On 21 October 1915 he was discharged to duty.

AWM service records.

Letter - 2 October 915 - enteritis, admitted - No3 Australian General Hospital, Alexandria

Athol writes home to Mother.

He returns to Alexandria in Egypt after being diagnosed with enteritis (a stomach condition acquired through unsanitary conditions including contaminated food and water) and spending a few days in the No.3 Australian General Hospital in Lemnos. He says there is really nothing the matter except that he is a 'bit run down'. He meets up again with the kind Rickards family.

Union Club

Alexandria, Egypt

2.10.15

Dear Mater,

Once more in Alex. I had a very slight attack of enteritis and after a few days in hospital at Lemnos, in No.3 Australia General Hospital, they shipped me down here for a bit of a change. There's really nothing the matter only a bit run down and as the Battalion is not in the firing line a holiday will not do any harm.

I met Mr Rickards this morning and went out to lunch at his place. They said they had a letter from you. 

I made inquiries for Capt Carter and found that he had been sent to England last week with enteric. Sperry Hill is here having arrived from hospital in Malta a day or two ago. He asked to be remembered to you.

It is pretty hot here since I arrived, last Thursday, though I hear that it is a kind of hot spell as it has been a lot cooler.

I suppose I won't get any letters for a bit though I may be able to stop them here.

I can't think of any news.

Love to Aunt Puff and Pater

Yours lovingly,

Athol.

P.S. excuse writing, first time I've used a pen for nearly 4 months.

30 September 1915 - illness, HMSS Karapara

According to the AWM service records, A.G. Adams was admitted to hospital on Lemnos Island on 30 September 1915. He was diagnosed with 'diarrhoea-slight'. He was transferred to HM Hospital Ship 'Karapara'.

After travelling south across the Mediterranean he was transferred on 12 October 1915 to hospital in Alexandria.

Letter - 12 June 1915 - Convalescence

Athol writes to his mother at home in Melbourne and encloses the bullet which was extracted from his wrist (thankfully I do not have the item in my archives). Athol has recovered from his four injuries and is discharged to return to service in the Dardenelles. He spent his convalescence with a Mr and Mrs Rickards in Alexandria and put on quite a bit of weight whilst under their care.  He has not heard anything from home since late April and makes enquiries about his brothers farming in the Riverina.

Union Club

Alexandria

Egypt

12-6-15

Dear Mater 

I'm going back to the Dardanelles tomorrow morning. I got my discharge from the hospital on Thursday and have been waiting for a boat since. My leg is quite well now and I can walk A1. There is no after effect at all. 

The people I'm staying with have been very good to me. Mr and Mrs Rickards, Sporting Club, Alexandria, is the address. Mr Rickards took my photo yesterday. I'll get him to send you one if they're any good. 

There is really no news at all. I've just been pottering about having a good old loaf. I'm as fat as anything and will be able to live like the camel on his hump for quite a time. I weighed myself two days ago 1/2lb over 12 stone (about 76kg). I reckon my clothes won't be much good to me when I get home if I go on at this rate. 

I am enclosing the bullet out of my wrist. I've been meaning to send it everyday but have kept putting it off. 

I have spent a couple of afternoons with Mrs John Lang, she said she would write to you.
I hear the drought has broken. I hope the boys (older brothers Arthur Parker Adams and Valentine Harold Adams) have a better season this year. 

I haven't had any letters since before we landed in Gallipoli (25 April). I'll probably find some waiting for me up there when I get back. Hope so anyway. 

My love to all enquiring friends.
Yours lovingly
Athol

Letter - 27 May 1915 - Landing at Gallipoli and Battle of Krithia

This is the full text of the letter which Athol sent home to his mother from hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. It briefly describes being shot twice during the famous landing at Anzac Cove. After recovering from these injuries he then re-joined his 5th Battalion and was again wounded (twice more) during the early stages of the Battle of Krithia (8 May 1915).

I have referred to this letter in earlier blog posts. I post the full text today as it is 100-years since it was written.

I have added some dates and other comments embedded in text of the letter (not italics) to assist the reader.



No.17 General Hospital

Ramleh

Alexandria

27.5.15

"Dear Mater,

"Many thanks for your cable which I got on the 18th (May) about 9pm. I've been here since the 16th (May) and am quite all right. I'm going into a convalescent home tomorrow. That means boarding out at a private house.

"I got hit on April 25th (Landing at Anzac Cove on Anzac Day) the first day we landed, soon after getting ashore. I got one through the upper arm and about 1/2 an hour afterwards got another on the wrist watch which smashed the watch and put my left hand out of action temporarily. I then left the line and went down to the beach where I was sent aboard the 'Clan Macgillvray'. I came down here in her and reached here on Thursday night (29 April).

"Six of us then went on board the 'Lutzgow' and returned to Gallipoli leaving on Sunday evening (2 May). I reported back to the Battalion on Wednesday evening (5 May). They had just come out of the trenches and that night we left for the southern part of the Peninsular in mine sweepers.

"On Saturday  evening (8 May) we got orders to form a new firing line and while we were going up I got hit again. This time in the right thigh, a clean hit right through. I couldn't walk and while I was being taken back I got another in the right lower arm. The bullet hit a man who was helping me and broke his arm and went into me and stayed in my wrist. I was taken on board the 'Guildford Castle' a fine hospital ship where we had A1 treatment on Monday afternoon (10 May) and came down on her (to Alexandria, Egypt). They took the bullet out under gas. I'll send it out and I think you had better give it to Bill (nickname of his eldest brother, Arthur Parker Adams) to go on his watch chain with that bit of his knee.

 "I previously sent my wrist watch (damaged during the landing at ANZAC Cove on 25 April) and a Turkish bullet which was in my haversack (acquired also on 25 April). I hope you get them alright. All the wounds have healed up wonderfully and I'll be as good as ever in a few days when the stiffness gets out of my leg.

"Norm Marshall has won his commission as have about 8 others. It is a nice climate up there. Pretty warm with cold nights though I suppose it will get hotter soon

"There has been a mix up with our letters and I haven't had any since about April 20th. We're not allowed to say anything about operations or movements so there is no news."

"My love to all,

"Yours lovingly, Athol"