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[Page 39]
[Envelope]
On active service
No stamps available
Mrs. S. J. Richards
Mount Morgan
Queensland
Australia.
June 1915
[Letter]
1
Gallipoli Peninsula
Sunday 6th June /[19]15
My dear wife
Still in the best of health. Colonel Giblin came back a few days ago and resumed command. He has ruled that letters may contain "Gallipoli Peninsula", hence the heading. The remainder of our officers came ashore the other night with more of our equipment. Our piece of beach is between 2 small capes. It is the only bit of coast at all sheltered frm the enemy's guns, and about 600 yards long. It is crowded with stores of all kinds, and units are very cramped for room. The beach is 15 to 50 yards wide with a steep hill at the back which is burrowed with "dug outs". We have a sandbagged shelter for officers to sleep in with 2 inch planks for the roof, on the steep hill behind. 9 of us can get in it with a squeeze. I am not lousy yet, you will be glad to hear; though nearly everybody has to pick his clothes clean daily. They say that insecticide is useless – anyhow my tin is in my big box at Cook's Cairo. Some of the men turn their trousers inside out because there is no cover for the little brutes, and wear no shirts. I have just heard that a dry canteen is to be opened to sell matches, paper & envelopes, extra lime juice etc. I heard too that a bakery is nearby set up at Imbros. This will be a Godsend for men with broken teeth & dentures of whom there are very many. A dental repair shop is promised very shortly. The troops are very healthy and fit – a little influenza only. I was talking to Donald Fraser this morning. He is a Sergeant. I sent Herbert McLaughlin back to Mudros a few days ago with renal colic. Haven't seen Polsson since the day we landed, and can't find anyone who knows him. I [indecipherable] forget the number of his Battalion.