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

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.

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