Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 543
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[Page 543]
[been] wors at Blackheath than they have been so far at Abbayssia [Abbassia], a suburb of Cairo where I sit writing this letter, there are little black wretches, size of the ordinary house fly, which is persisten in the attcks he makes upon ones face, but he is not very numerous, is susceptible to insect powder and hates fly whisps. We are told that the beasts are very troublesome on the Galipoli peninsula, I hope the accounts about him are exaggerated.
I have never been in finer fettle, fit for any thing that may come my way. I hope that your cold has gone, if not please have it attended to at once. Tabbie must see to it that you do not neglect your self.
I hope that the Bridges and the Macdonalds will enjoy the trip round the islands, my regards to all of them. Judging from the style of the motor car fortune must be smiling upon Nellie Anderson, I wondered to whom it belonged before my eyes reached the termination of your letter.
Girls dears I must to bed, perchance to dream of you, or of the kind of luck that is with you at this moment if it be of the amount that I wish for you, then nothing will be wanting in your mede of happiness.
As I should hate to go back to Australia without having been to Galipoli I wrote to Surgeon General Ford and asked to be given something to do over there for a time. Yesterday I had an interview with Surgeons General Baptie and Ford, it was arranged that I should go, ford said that in recognition of my good work here I should have a position of high class on the field of battle. Good, I hope to have chance to do more good work there. It may be that my letters from there will be shorter and more irregular than they have been from here, if so you must forgive me, the desire will still be with me to have a chat with you and it will be gratified as often as possible.
Good night.
Tabbie. Good night [A line of Xs and Os]
Geordie. Good night [A line of Xs and Os]
Kittie. Good night [A line of Xs and Os]
10.9.15./: Several news papers came from Little Hyman to day, sent from the ordinary address in London, he is too busy to write therefore contents himself by wrapping up the papers. Strangely enough he sends copies of The Advocate, a Catholic paper which is published weekly in Melbourne.
Also there was a letter from Mrs Fraser. She reports herself and family as being in the best of spirits. The work for my hospital has been of great use to her because it brought her into contact with the people round about her. She has been given much praise for the way in which she has organised the ladies and placed them in the way of doing useful war work
I have written to Mr Walsh, at the library telling him that I
[Major, later Lieutenant Colonel, John Smith Purdy DSO, health officer of Point Piper, NSW, joined the Army on 24 August 1914 at age 42, and embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A9 Shropshire on 20 October 1914 as Medical Officer with Headquarters, Divisional Ammunition Column.
Lieutenant General Sir William Baptie VC KCB CMG had served as a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the South African War, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was appointed Director of Medical Services for the British Indian Army in March 1914 and was responsible for medical provision on both the Mesopotamian and the Dardanelles campaigns. (Source: Wikipedia.)]