Letter - 29 March 1914 - training for attack and defence - Sir Ian Hamilton

A.G. Adams writes to his mother about the continuing training which seems to be relentless. The unit was inspected by Sir Ian Hamilton. He meets a family friend, Keith Officer, who was serving in the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The desert climate means that it is cold at night and hot and dusty with flies in the day.

The transcript appears below.

Dear Mater,

I've got a small bundle of letters here. I don't know whether I've acknowledged them all or not. Dated Jan 17, 24, 31 and Feb 14.

I seem to lose count of the days here. We meander on as from one day to another with very little to remember as different.

Last week we were out all Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights on Divisional Training. Tuesday in defence and the other two nights in attack. On Thursday I was orderly officer so I had a pretty strenuous time.

This morning we were inspected by Sir Ian Hamilton and marched past him afterwards.

Please tell Pater I've got two or three 'Referees' and a couple of 'Bulletins' and thank him for me.

I had mess the other evening with Keith Officer. He has one star imp in the Brigade ... Res of the 3rd Light Horse Bde. They have been hereabout a month now.

I believe we have two night stints this week. We're absolutely fed up with them. It's beastly cold and when we try to get some sleep the flies, dust and heat of the day are not conclusive to slumber.

I really can't think of anything else so please excuse this scrawl. Please remember me to Pater and all enquiring friends.

Yours lovingly
Athol

Postcard - 28 March 1915 - Sand and Sphinx

Another postcard about the ancient wonders next to the Mena Camp.

Text as follows:

'The sand is higher than in the picture. It's up to the mark, about.'
AGA

The 'mark' refers to the little inked-in line above and to the right of the campers; at the base of the Sphinx.

Post card - 25 March 1915 - Visit to the Pyramids

A.G. Adams explains how the site of their trenches is nearby the ancient pyramids.

The text of the postcard reads as follows:

This view is taken from a place where we have done a lot of our work especially digging trenches. Looking to the right of the pyramids and past them lies Cairo. Cheops is marked 1. Chephren 2. and the small one 3. Its blowing all the Sahara past today.
Love
A.G.A.

Perhaps he has got the pyramids mixed up. The small one appears to be marked 1.

Letter - 7 March 1915 - field exercises with Light Horse, ASC and Field Ambulance

A letter from Lieut A. G. Adams to his mother (which was sent to Melbourne, then New Zealand and finally caught up with her in Sydney). A.G. Adams describes an army field day in which a number of units exercised with the Field Ambulance, Light Horse and ASC (Army Service Corps - which provided logistics support). After attending the races he meets a girl, Una McKellar, at a dance held at the Continental Hotel. His thoughts turn to what lies ahead - perhaps Turkey.

No mention is made of his 4-day stint his hospital (26 Feb to 2 March).

The text of the letter appears below the images.

Dear Mater, 

Many thanks for your cable and also a letter. Nothing much has happened here lately. 

We had a big field day last Friday and Saturday. We started at 2:30pm and attacked a position about 3 miles away. The 1st Brigade was on our flank and the Light Horse were out in front acting as a screen. The whole thing was really to give the Ammunition Column and A.S.C. and Field Ambulance practice. We worked until 6:30pm then rested until 8:30pm and worked until about 1:30am, then started again at 5am and finished up about 7:15pm and returned to camp. 

I was on a regular court martial for instruction on Saturday morning. It was from 10am and lasted until about 12:30. I had a nice little sleep during the proceedings. 

I went to the races in the afternoon. It is a nice little course and the racing was pretty good though none of the horses here are very fast and the times are no good. They have the 'tote' here so I didn't lose all my money and in the evening I had dinner at the Continental with some of the other officers from here. They have a dance there every Saturday but I only knew one girl Una McKellar and I met one other. As there are about 10 men to every girl it was not very exciting so I cleared out early. 

It has been getting pretty hot here lately, though the nights are still very cold. The 3rd Brigade went away about a week ago and we'll be moving soon though exactly when nobody knows or where, though it is somewhere by sea, probably to Turkey, which will be a good place to make our debut. 

There isn't anything else so I'll ring off.  

Love to Pater and all enquiring friends. 

Yours lovingly
Athol

26 February 1915 - illness

On 26 February 1915, A. G. Adams was admitted to hospital with an un-diagnosed illness. He was discharged to duty on 2 March 1915.

AWM service records

Letter - 16 February 1915 - commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and moved to 'C' Company.

A letter to his Mother sent from Cairo on 16 February, shortly after A.G. Adams was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He mentions meeting a Mrs Fowler, a nurse; unpacking his new officer's kit; and transferring to 'C' Company.

The text of the letter appears below the images.

Dear Mater,

I've been in town today getting a little more kit in the way of stars, uniform etc. fitting to an officer in the A.I.F.

Last Thursday, being our weekly holiday, Harry Malony and I came in and went out to Heliopolis to see Mrs Fowler. She was a Miss Walsh, a nurse in the Eye and Ear I think and she came over here to marry him. He is a Dr and holds the rank of Captain.
We got back to camp about 11pm and the first thing I saw in the days orders was that 2nd Lieut Adams was next for duty as Orderly Officer. The next thing I found was all my kit, blankets, waterproof sheet and everything in my kit bag tied in lovely tight knots. It took about 1 1/2 hours to untie them. The next evening at mess the Major and Colonel both said what a fine chap I was in about 12 different ways and then yours truly had to make a speech wich you may bet was about two words long. Speeches are not one of my strong points. I have been transferred to 'C' Company and have charge of No.12 Platoon. I am hoping to get back into 'D' company but of course there isn't much chance of present. Capt Saker (sp?) is my Company Commander and he is A1 I think. 

I suppose you will have received my cable sent today some time ago so all this is stale. I don't think we will be leaving here for some time yet probably not until the end of March but of course we may be ordered to pack kits at any time. We are still doing the same things at training which grows awfully monotonous so there is not much news.

Kind regards to all enquiring friends. Remember me to Pater.

Yours lovingly,
Athol.

3 February 1915 - commissioned

A. G. Adams was promoted from Company Sergeant Major to 2nd Lieutenant on 3rd February 1915.

AWM service records.