Passage to Gallipoli - 4
…The next day found us only just outside the Mersey. Then I hid away for another day when we were sailing, so I gave myself up.
I went up before the Colonel who gave me a jaw and told me if I had been put off at Liverpool, that is dropped by the pilot, I would have found myself in jail. They were all very nice about it.
We are all out in Gallipoli now, I cannot tell you where. Our camp is 1½ miles from the firing line. And we are going up for 14 days next week. I forgot to tell you that when I was on the boat I was not seasick but what did make me sick was that they ripped my kitbag open and stole everything. Now I have got no clothes at all so I want you to send me out if you can some thick woollen socks and some gloves, a scarf and cigarettes, if you could send me 200 you would save my life…..
If you see a signature at the bottom of the letter, it is only from my troop officer who censors the troop’s letters.
We get a lot of shells over the camp but they are quite harmless as half their shells don’t explode.
Well, I have no more to say except the other day I went over the French lines – they are jolly clean. As you come out of their lines you see a notice ‘Limite de la Zone Francaise’. I am feeling very well and like a tiger which I think is a good sign.
With a Gallipoli hug from Your loving son, Brian