8 March 1916 Moascar Camp, Ismailia, Egypt
[Envelope]
postmark: unclear
8-3-16
Mrs C. W. Satchell
Macclesfield
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney
Australia
[Page 1]
[note in top left corner]
I suppose you will have a laugh over the sewing. Does a fellow good to be placed in such a position and do things for himself.
Love Bill
[main letter begins]
Moascar Camp
Ismailia
[in Egypt near the Suez Canal]
My dearest mother
Just a short letter so as it will be in time for your birthday. I wish you very very many happy returns mother dear, and may you live long to enjoy many more birthdays only I hope this is the only one that I will be away from home.
Things are very unsettled at present, we have just entered this camp and you can just imagine how things are. Moving camp is a rotten game involving a terrible lot of work, more than anybody would think.
[Page 2]
I haven't had another mail yet so I can't find as much to talk about this time.
I will have to stop for a while now mum I believe there is a rifle examination and mine wants cleaning up. Well that's done with.
I saw Jack two days ago and he told me he had received a letter from sis (he didn't say sis you know Elsie) and that you were all well but I knew that because I received your letter which came by the same mail.
This morning I did not go on parade for I had just done a couple of hours on the phone, so I went for a swim, the first wash all over for 7 weeks. It was in a little bay in one of the
[Page 3]
lakes through which the canal runs.
There is one thing that I have not mastered since joining the army and that is sewing. I manage to put a button on alright and I can sew up a tear in the seam of my trousers etc but it took a diggins of a time for me to find out how to finish off, the thing would work undone after a couple of days, but now I throw in a few half hitches, something like tying up a boat, and it holds well. I do all my sewing with a darning needle!! Some sewing I can tell you.
Did you get the little photos mum. I hope so, show them to all my friends, even though they are awful things.
[Page 4]
Have Cec Thomson's people heard anything from him, I have heard nothing more still waiting to hear from a chap, God grant that everything is right, otherwise I will never be able to look his mother and sisters in the face without flinching, but I have this to console me that I did what I thought was right.
Your parcel mother dear was a beauty and the cake simply bonza, thank you so much for it. I owe sis a letter but will write when I can things are so unsettled and likely to be for the next month so don't be surprised if I miss mails. Tell my friends that too mum will you?
[Page 5]
Did Ron receive my letter to him for his birthday, it is the only thing that I could send him.
From the 1st March we are only allowed to draw 1/- per day so that 4/- per day should be paid into my account from that date and ask Dad to make enquiries.
Well mother dear I must stop again. The happiest birthday possible dear. Give my love to all and a big kiss to Ron for his birthday.
I am
Ever your loving son
Billy.
XX
postmark: unclear
8-3-16
Mrs C. W. Satchell
Macclesfield
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney
Australia
[Page 1]
[note in top left corner]
I suppose you will have a laugh over the sewing. Does a fellow good to be placed in such a position and do things for himself.
Love Bill
[main letter begins]
Moascar Camp
Ismailia
[in Egypt near the Suez Canal]
My dearest mother
Just a short letter so as it will be in time for your birthday. I wish you very very many happy returns mother dear, and may you live long to enjoy many more birthdays only I hope this is the only one that I will be away from home.
Things are very unsettled at present, we have just entered this camp and you can just imagine how things are. Moving camp is a rotten game involving a terrible lot of work, more than anybody would think.
[Page 2]
I haven't had another mail yet so I can't find as much to talk about this time.
I will have to stop for a while now mum I believe there is a rifle examination and mine wants cleaning up. Well that's done with.
I saw Jack two days ago and he told me he had received a letter from sis (he didn't say sis you know Elsie) and that you were all well but I knew that because I received your letter which came by the same mail.
This morning I did not go on parade for I had just done a couple of hours on the phone, so I went for a swim, the first wash all over for 7 weeks. It was in a little bay in one of the
[Page 3]
lakes through which the canal runs.
There is one thing that I have not mastered since joining the army and that is sewing. I manage to put a button on alright and I can sew up a tear in the seam of my trousers etc but it took a diggins of a time for me to find out how to finish off, the thing would work undone after a couple of days, but now I throw in a few half hitches, something like tying up a boat, and it holds well. I do all my sewing with a darning needle!! Some sewing I can tell you.
Did you get the little photos mum. I hope so, show them to all my friends, even though they are awful things.
[Page 4]
Have Cec Thomson's people heard anything from him, I have heard nothing more still waiting to hear from a chap, God grant that everything is right, otherwise I will never be able to look his mother and sisters in the face without flinching, but I have this to console me that I did what I thought was right.
Your parcel mother dear was a beauty and the cake simply bonza, thank you so much for it. I owe sis a letter but will write when I can things are so unsettled and likely to be for the next month so don't be surprised if I miss mails. Tell my friends that too mum will you?
[Page 5]
Did Ron receive my letter to him for his birthday, it is the only thing that I could send him.
From the 1st March we are only allowed to draw 1/- per day so that 4/- per day should be paid into my account from that date and ask Dad to make enquiries.
Well mother dear I must stop again. The happiest birthday possible dear. Give my love to all and a big kiss to Ron for his birthday.
I am
Ever your loving son
Billy.
XX