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[Page 128]
into their evidence in rather a bold manner.
I have heard no news lately of Arthur or Caesar or any of the people I know over with the A.I.F. but mails have been very congested about this time of the year. Now that the withdrawal from Anzac has taken place it makes matters more difficult. There seems to be a feeling that our men will be kept in Egypt where there is apparently going to be trouble soon and on a larger scale than is generally expected. To me the present position is very complicated and the only bright part seems to be the fairly justifiable thought that Germany is making these wild outbursts in the near East as a kind of last effort. We would have a better view of the general position after the end of this winter which should have far greater hardships for the enemy than for ourselves.
I was fortunate in being able to spend Christmas Day very quietly and pleasantly with some friends. It rained most of the Day.
I saw a nasty smash at Hendon some weeks ago though I had not said anything about it in my other letters – especially to my mother. Two naval men went up in a small military machine & with a fairly strong wind blowing. When about 80 feet off the ground & rising slowly they appeared to try & turn into the wind. The machine side-slipped and dived head first to the ground. The distance was not sufficient to enable the pilot to right the machine and it hit the ground bang and immediately burst into flame as the petrol tank burst. When I reached the spot it was burning like a furnace. The pilot, who had the rear seat, had been pulled out but the other man was strapped in and being badly burnt. Eventually he was extricated but had been badly damaged about the head as well as burnt and died some hours afterwards. It gave me rather a turn as I saw the whole thing, but it was mainly due to bad luck and has not affected my intentions at all. There was an element of humour at the end when about 70 or 80 people were standing round looking on as an attempt was made to put the fire out. Suddenly some small bombs which had been in the machine burst and scattered some fragments of metal around a few, including myself, were hit and received small wounds, but everyone turned and ran. It was a regular stampede retreat and as I ran with the crows I couldn't help laughing. We only needed to "dig ourselves in" & complete the humour of the situation.
Last week I met by chance (the only chance meeting I have had) A. R. O'Connor who is in the Lenister Regt. & was over from Ireland on a few days leave. He was well tho' had learnt nothing from the "20th" lately. I had dinner with Mrs O'Connor, Miss O'C and "Pat" last evening.
In my next letter I hope to be able to tell you something of Cambridge, the ways of the English O.T.C. and also perhaps the English Officers.
Kindest regards to Mrs Ferguson Dorothy & yourself
Yours very sincerely L. P. Whitfield
[Transcribed by John Corbett for the State Library of New South Wales]