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[Page 137]
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He said he had : he was sitting up night after night trying to study but unable to do so : where his younger brother was risking his life, he, the elder, ought to be, and he said softly, "I hope you won't object Father." There was only one possible answer.
Dene enlisted at Liverpool on 17 May, 1915, and was placed in the Army Medical Corps, and was transferred to Queen's Park, Waverley, under the eminent Doctor, Gordon Craig, who was specially selecting a staff of youths to man the first Australian hospital ship, the "Karoola" which was being fitted out in England. The unit left in the transport "Wiltshire" on 14th. July, 1915, and arrived at Southampton 12th. October in Autumn. So soon as the "Karoola" was ready she was despatched to Egypt for a load of wounded, returned to England, and left again, this time for Australia, on the 19th. October, 1915.
Dene had hoped to be employed at some pathological or similar work on board the hospital ship, but it was found, owing to the vibrations of the vessel, to be impracticable, an on return he at once transferred to the Infantry, and was enrolled in the 3rd. Battalion on 12 January, 1916. He qualified while in camp at Liverpool for the N.C.O. school at Moore Park and was there promoted to be Sergeant, and thence went on to the Officers' training school at Duntroon, where he qualified for a commission. But as there was a surplus of officers candidates who passed, and he might have waited indefinitely for appointment he took the first opportunity to get away with reinforcements as Sergeant on the transport "Wiltshire" and left Australia for the second time on 22 August, 1916.
He arrived at Plymouth on 12 October and went on to Dorset and Salisbury Plains. He immediately made inquiry after his brother Alan and heard the dreadful news that he had died on the 14th. August of wounds received while "in supports" at Pozieres. In a strange land, with new