Item 02: John Herbert Butler correspondence, 1914-1920 - Page 28

[Page 28]

much excitement since I began this letter. We had shooting practice about 8 days ago & I won about 13/-, i.e. 65 piastres on my shooting in bets.

We have been having a good many manoeuvres & schemes lately in the desert & are getting fit for the real thing. Personally I dont think we will see any fighting untill we get on the continent despite of all the rumours about Turks etc, Of course I could'nt get anything out of Chas, when I saw him last Sunday. Only he said he thought there was something doing soon. I went over to Mena on Sunday last to see Harry & Jack but both of them were in Town. I saw Chas afterwards at Divnl
Headquarters & he told me to send his love to you all.

We have a picture show here, & it helps to fill in nights. I must tell you an amusing incident that happened a few nights ago. The guard at the main entrance to the camp, while on duty at about 2 a.m., heard someone approaching down the road towards him, at a great speed. He challenged & presented the point of his bayonet to the oncomer – but just managed to withdraw it in time to let the camp kangaroo bound past , pursued by a local dog. The "kangar" had been out for a "beano", as they often do, (there are three of them), but he deemed it safer to retire within the bounds of the camp when the local cur took a fancy to him
Well I close this & send you a couple of post cards too. Remember me to