Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 535
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[Page 535]
[so]me affection of a leg, hope that you are quite well now my dear. You wrote from Shanakiel, Cessnock, the home of Dr Fisher. It was very good of the doctor and his wife to be your entertainers, but I am sure that you made yourself welcome. My Kitty is loved every where she goes. My regards to Marguerite, of Santos, when you write. She must be developing into a big stately woman. My, how splendidly she sat up, having the reputation of the women of Santos in her keeping. Of the best.
Every Balkan State is affraid to side against Germany just now, so would any crowd be, in view of the manner in which the Russian Bear has been so soundly whipped. We all hoped that the Russian numbers would prevail against the Teuton hordes. We have been sadly deceived. Yet the Russian has never been any class when opposed to the troops of a civilised power, and he still keeps his reputation in this regard. Bad luck to him for his failure, it will cost our own people and our side very much in blood and treasure. We must fight on to defend ourselves and keep a fitting place in the sun. When the rearrangement is made it will never do for us to be any where but in the front seat, but Bill is powerful and strong, and his armies will give much trouble during the approaching months. Let us pray for the best.
Dr Fisher and his colleagues on the Maitland coal fields must be making lots of money these times. If a man attends to his work and does it conscientiously, he will find none more loyal or more forgiving than the coal miner and his family. I know them well and they shall always have my regard, because they were always kind to me.
Father King, from Melbourne, not the St. Benedicts man, partook of tea with me tonight. He is a conscientious man who desires to help the boys here in every way, he is to come in the morning and say mass here, it will be well attended because he stayed the afternoon visiting every patient, and conversing with those of the Roman belief. He is the most ardent priest that I have met in Egypt. I got Mrs Knowles to give him a paragraph in the Advocate, which is the Catholic newspaper in Victoria.
Men are still being poured from here to Galipoli. To day Colonel Paton with the 7th. brigade broke camp and went away. Many of them will never see home, but under the circumstances that cannot be helped. What a terrible price in men and material we are paying for the right to occupy first place in the economy of the world, political social and commercial, but we must continue till we have won through. It is a great price to pay.
Good night: [A line of Xs and Os] Tabbie Dear.
Good night: [A line of Xs and Os] Joseph.
Good night: [A line of Xs and Os] kathleen dea[r]
[Dr Walter Fisher, Government Medical Officer, Cessnock, NSW. (Source: Sands Directories: Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1933.)]