Letter - 22 March 1916 - aeroplane, armoured cars and camels

Athol writes home to mother from Solum after an adventurous time in the desert.
A useful map appears in the blog post uploaded on 6 March 2016.

Aust Camel Corps
Sollum
22-3-16

Dear Mater,

Since I last wrote to you we have been pretty busy. We left Sidi Birrani on 10th (March 1916) and got to BaqBaq on 12th. We then left the Mounted Brigade and travelled 17 miles to join a Brigade of South African infantry the last little bit being up a hill like the side of a house 400 feet high. The same evening we marched about 9 miles. Next day (13 March) we we started off as advance guard but after going about 5 miles we got a message from an aeroplane to say that the enemy had blown up their ammunition and gone west. The armoured cars started in pursuit and we followed to a place called Bir Waer. We found a number of native tents which were full of ammunition and rifles and everything in a jumble. We burnt the lot. There were also 3 motor bikes and a Ford which were all slightly damaged. We collected the ammunition etc and burnt it, somewhere about 100,000 rounds altogether as well as 100 10lb shells and a few bombs. The cars caught the enemy about 14 miles further west and captured 3 field guns and nine machine guns.

On the 16th we came in here (Sollum), about 5 miles and on the 17th we went west about 20 miles to Bir Agiga, where the armoured cars caught them, and stayed there for a day while the cars went another 100 odd miles and rescued 91 sailors etc, mostly H.M.S. Tara, and brought them in to Bir Agiga where the armoured motor cars had hot tea and bovril ready. Poor devils, they were nearly starved ...... There were two Australians, Officers of the Moorina, which was sunk. Next day they went on and were put on board a hospital ship straight away.  You should have seen them eat Bully Beef, and boiled foul and tea. Also they greatly appreciated a wash. I threw my towel away after about three had used it.

We came in after them and after a day spell, in a ... storm, we went North looking for a German submarine. We struck a telegraph line and followed it. We left the camels about 2 miles from the sea and proceeded on foot. We attacked a house but there was nobody inside. In the afternoon I took five men and followed another line and after a very rough climb found a board hut with rubber roofing and the end of the wire. There was a lot of German newspaper about but nothing else. In the same bay we found a ship's boat and some large oil drums.

The next day we visited a native village and destroyed a large quantity of rifles and ammunition, took about 60 prisoners and bought in about 150 sheep and goats. We are now here (Sollum) resting our camels.

We have had no mail so I can't acknowledge any letters.

Yours lovingly,

Athol

Letter - 10 March 1916 - Sidi Barani

Athol writes a brief note home to mother. He is further west again and writing from Sidi Barrani. See map below on which this outpost is labeled 'Sidi el Barrani'. Athol writes the day before they leave on an excursion with 5 days rations.

On that excursion, Athol and the 2nd Camel Company were to bring up the rear of a mixed military unit comprising the South African Brigade of infantry, the Dorset Yeomanry, a camel supply column and an armoured car battery. This combined force no longer followed the coast road but headed south from Sidi Barrani into the desert so that they might climb up the escarpment and reach the Medean Pass and the plateau beyond. The enemy occupied these heights and any progression by the British along the coast from Sidi Birrani towards Sollum would have made them easy targets for the Senoussi. The British commanders were not sure of the water supply in the interior and that's why the 2nd Camel Company were loaded with 5 days rations.

Athol also let's his mother know that he had a fall from a bolting camel and, of course, collected more parcels.

Sidi Barrani
Egypt
10-3-16

Dear Mater,

Still further west and still going. We leave here tomorrow with 5 days rations. I hear the country is very rough from here. This place is simply an old coast guard station but now, of course, nothing but soldiers. 

I had my first fall this morning. I had been to the field P.O. and got a small bag of letters and a big one of parcels for the Company and tied them on the saddle and started to lead the camel home, but after a bit the bags began to slip so I got up behind the saddle to hold them on whereupon the camel bolted and bags and I hit terra firma but without damages and after all nothing in either bag for me. 

We're very busy this afternoon draining rations water and watering camels so I'll have to ring off. 

Love to Aunt Puff and Pater.

Yours lovingly,

Athol