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[Page 73]
New Years Day.
Helipolis
Copy of P.W. Chapman aged 28
Trooper – 6 Reinforcements to 1st ALH – now Lieutenant in our Infantry battalion
My dear Mother
As you see by the heading we are back in Egypt, but I don't expect it will be for long, in all probability we shall go, mounted to the Suez Canal on patrol work, but as regards our future we – really know nothing. Its no use worrying where we are, we might be shifted off to an infantry even yet. Well perhaps you would like to hear more of Gallipoli We had a very god time over there plenty to eat, enough pick & shovel work to keep us fit, shrapnel now & then to remind us we were near the firing line Gallipoli has not a bad climate, average similar to Melbourne – but – occasionally in winter, cold northerly blizzards bring snow & ice. I began my birthday – it was a Sunday – creeping out over the parapet of a trench on patrol work in the snow at 12 o'clock, & coming in at daylight – as my boot had a few cuts in it the snow got in to my foot As fortune had it those boots & sox had to remain on my feet for 48 hours, as I was on duty next day, & most of the night in the trenches I nearly got frost bitten, but escaped