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[Page 12]
of letting others do the thinking for was I not in the military, where if they follow Imperial regulations they would try & make you a machine but they will, never, never, do that with Australians, we are not a bit better disciplined to-day than we were 18 months ago, & I don't think, judging by what I have seen of well disciplined troops that we are any the worse for it. I think once a chap gets a liking for the country, he will never be able to shake it off no more I know I am full up of the cities, & only long for the country life again. We had a medical examination nearly every week they were determined to find out all the weak ones before we sailed from Australia & I think they succeded as far as that went.
About a week before we left for the troopship's we had a pretty severe course of musketry, & skirmishing at Long Bay, & we bivouacked for the night pretty close to Little Bay, we had outposts, entries, & picquets out just as if we were expecting an attack from an enemy, & when morning came most of the outposts were in town, the sentries were asleep & the picquets were missing, nice state of affairs, but nothing came of it only a good lecture from the Colonel. About tea time one night an order came round from Brigade Hqr's to the effect that every one was to be ready to move off in the morning wasn't there some noise, & everyone rushing about packing up their black bags, & getting things