Archibald Kerr Jamieson letter diary, 2 April-20 May 1915 - Page 1

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[Transcriber's note:
This letter, dated 20 May 1915 and written from Beni Souef, Egypt, gives details of Archibald Jamieson's departure from Alexandria, the voyage to Lemnos Island and then on to Gallipoli, the landing and the action which took place in the following week until he suffered a sprained ankle and was taken on board a hospital ship and eventually arrived back in Egypt. He was attached to the Postal Corps in Cairo from 10 January 1916 to 22 April 1916 and was invalided back to Australia from Suez on the H.T. Itonus on 10 June 1916 and was discharged on 17 August 1916.]

Beni Souef
Egypt
20th May 21915

My Dear Bertha

I am still on the convalesent list, therefore still in Egypt, with 5 other chaps. I am at present the guest of an English Gentleman here. Our Host is the head of the forth circle of irrigation in Egypt. Truly there are many sides to a Soldier's life & I am seeing them all. Only a few days ago I was fighting for my life, never knowing what moment would be my last. Today I am living in luxury with servants to do my slightest bidding. When I wake in the morning my servant is always waiting. As soon as he sees that I am awake, he approaches my bed on tiptoe as if he were afraid of frightening me, he then informes me that my bath is ready, everything that he says is punctuated with Excellency. Can you imagine it the old Arch. K. as your Excellency. The English Residents of Beni Souef have laid themselves out to entertain us & needless to say they succeed, every day there is something different to be done or a different place to visit. But for all the good times I am having I am getting impatient to be back with my mates in the firing line again. Perhaps if I had not tried to stay when I knew it was impossible I may have been back now. People who do silly things generally have to pay for them in the end. I stayed in the firing line for four days after I had sprained my ankle, but it got so bad in the end that I had to make my way to the beach at last, using my rifle for a crutch.