Sullivan letter diary, 27 October 1915-9 October 1917 / Eugene Sullivan - Page 4

[Page 4]

scraps of any kind are allowed to be left about the ground.
An Orderly is appointed to each tent daily, each occupant taking his turn and it is his duty to clean up the tents and take all scraps to the incinerators where they are burned. He also brings supplies for the tent from the kitchen &c,. We have to get up at 6 O'clock in the morning, and are then served with a mug of strong coffee. A Dixie, small boiler, being placed between our tent each two tents to supply both of them. Also bread and jam is supplied at this snack. We are then marched out for physical drill. We return to breakfast of stew and vegetables, potatoes, pumpkin & turnips, and tea and bread and jam, at about 8 O'clock. At about 9.30 a.m. we parade for drill. At 12 noon we knock off for dinner of stew and vegetables tea and bread and jam. We parade for drill again at 2 p.m. and drill until about 4 p.m. We have tea at about 5 p.m. and the rest of the night off! Holdworthy is much healthier than Liverpool, being on an eminence, and not right on the river bank. It is quite a model Camp, and the Officers aver all a very nice lot of men. Of course they are the only Officers I know as yet, but the men say they are all very decent. The Camp is quite a town in itself. There is a Groce General Store on the grounds where most things can be obtained also a Chemists Shop, Barber's, fruiterers, photographers &c., Also a Salvation Army and two Y.M.C.A. tents, one for Concerts and the other for writing letters, playing cards, drafts &c., I am writing this letter in the latter. They provide the pen, ink, and paper.
We are splendidly looked after in all particulars. We have been each issued with 1 suit of dungarees, 1 pair of boots (very strong & heavy) 1 Great coat, 2 singlets (good quality) and 2 flannel shirts, 1 pair of under pants, 3 pair of socks, a cardigan jacket, 1 hat (felt-military) besides our bedclothes consisting of 3 blankets and 1 water-proof sheet. We are to receive another pair suit of dungarees and pair of underpants, besides our service uniform and kit. It must cost the Government a tidy sum to equip each of us. Everything is of the very best quality. Many of the recruits have never been so well looked after before or had so copious a wardrobe. We are given plenty of everything to eat and if we run short obtain more for the asking. The food is very nicely prepared. It rather lacks variety but that defect can be remedied if the recruits like to buy extras themselves.