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[Page 70]
47 Colindale Av.
The Hyde
Hendon N.W.
3/11/15
My dear Judge,
I arrived in London a week late on Monday 25th ult. and found your letters of 6th Sept. waiting for me at the Bank of N.S.W. Many thanks for both. One of them may be of great use at any time as I have already had an interesting experience befall leaving the ship. A Government officer examined all the passengers and when he saw the last syllable of my name (spelt correctly) he asked me was I a German! My reply in the negative did not satisfy him and I was luckily able to shew a birth certificate, which I happened to have with me, to prove my nationality. What might have happened otherwise I do not know, but there might have been trouble for a while. The question may crop up later on.
Since arriving in London I have seen F.L. Flannery who is at the 2nd General Hospital at Wandsworth. Speaking about the 5th Brigade he said that only the 18th Batt. had had a bad time. The rumor about Caesar he was sure was not true. The position in the Dardanelles at present amounts almost to as much of a deadlock as that in Western Europe. This seemed to be quietly understood by those who were there that the landing at Smola was spoilt by the Territorial force on the left of the Australians. Our good position was rendered untenable through lack of support by the British troops, who were driven back & allowed the Turks to enfilade our lines. But I suppose by the time you receive this you will have heard all about it.