March 1915

c.o The Signallers Mar 23 1915

My Dear Mother

I am sorry poor Dad had a smash up.  It’s a beast of a thing to get hurt when everything is so hard.  I guess he was cutting scrub for the sheep when it happened.  It puzzled me a bit when I first heard he had fallen from a tree but I hope he wasn’t hurt internally.  Let me know next mail.  I’m glad it wasn’t more serious.  I was in the ranks when the letter was given to me by the O.C.  Asked if it was a love letter.  When I told him my Dad had been hurt he offered me leave to go to the tent to send any messages.

I saw Aunt Grace on Saturday.  Abe Lewis was there.  He is knocking about selling cheap Jack things, watches etc.  Doing a bit of sly grog too, I think.

Love from  Stid to all.

Care of the Signallers, Liverpool Camp

My Dear Mother

I have joined the Signallers. I am as yet not a Signaller but will probably be one. The morse code gives most of them trouble and I know it fairly well. I have only been with them one day. They are a better class than the others. I think it is very interesting and will do me more good than the Infantry. I could get into the Engineers from here better than the Infantry because it’s really a branch of them. I went into Sydney on Saturday evening with some of the boys and had a look at the water and the theatre. I wanted to go to see Aunt this time but saw her last time. She is about to get a good price for some building block that she has had for some years. Gave 90, thinks she can get 300.

I got Ock’s card and will find some. It’s hard to get them here and the shops were shut when I got into Sydney. But I may get some pictures of the camp. They are hard to get of the grounds and be able to see it all at once.

Love to all

From Stid