Part 02: Dene Barrett Fry letters, 17th May 1915-16 April 1917 - Page 8

[Page 8]

It's very hot to start with, but at 6 in the morning it's very cold. At this very moment we have just about cleared the rip at Port Phillip heads. A moment before I blew my nose on Dorothy's silk handkerchief, please tell her. Well, give me Sydney heads any day, this rip must be awfully dangerous, even the Orsova had quite a list. Now I'll tell you some of the surprises I got when I came to meet the chaps on board. Bruce Grant is a private in the 7th of the 2nd on board here & he knows some of the stewards who are sweet with the chap who runs the officers canteen! Roy Kinghorn is sitting beside me now with hands too cold to write. Kingy was a bit sick, not much. He is attached to the Dental section of the 3rd Austr. General Hospital. Cleve Blackwell is a Sergeant in the same. Charlie Sommerville missed the boat owing to sickness, otherwise he would have been with Bruce. A chap name Hooton is a Sergeant dentist with us, tell Olly this, he knows him. Ran has been down to sea sickness yesterday poor chap. James is quite well & has plenty of fight in him. Well ma, we don't know anything about our movements, how long we will stay in Melbourne etc. But the next stoop is Albany, W.A. As far as that address letters to the address on this letter, but afterwards to No 1. Austr. Hospital Ship. V. Barracks. The send off on the wharf was magnificent. I have never heard or seen anything like it in my life. Ask Alan. Well, give my love to the girls & Olly & tell father it was impossible for me to see him on Tuesday. Whips of love from

Dene