Sullivan letter diary, 27 October 1915-9 October 1917 / Eugene Sullivan - Page 3
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[Page 3]
1st. Letter.
C Coy. 9th. Batt. ........Regt.
Holdsworthy 27/10/15.
Dearest Mother/.
I enlisted in the infantry yesterday and both Stirling and I are now in camp at Holdworth from whence we are endeavouring to get transferred to the respective brigades in which we wish to go. Barnes letter failed to obtain me a position in the A.M.C. but Captain MacLean to whom it was addressed promised to list me for it if I produced the St. John's Ambulance Certificate, and I will then secure the first vacancy. That is outside those who have already had their papers marked for it, and they are a considerable number in excess of present requirements.
We presented ourselves at the Barracks yesterday morning, as we understood to do when we first volunteered. We were then given Hot pies cakes and tea by some ladies and marched to the Central Railway Station from whence we trained to Liverpool. From there to Holdsworthy is a distance of about 5 miles which we did on foot. We were given a Hot tea on our arrival at the Camp consisting of stew and tea and bread and jam. Stirling and I are in the same tent, with a very decent crowd of young fellows - ten in all. None of them have done any drill before so they appointed me tent commander. There is nothing attached to the position beyond seeing that the tent is kept tidy and that each man takes a turn at Orderly duty and does his share of the graft. The men themselves appoint who they like. I am not even a Non-Com.
The Camp here is kept splendidly. There is a place for everything and no