IN HOSPITAL AT MALTA – Wed 20 Oct 1915

Private E. H. Ely, of Harcourt, who sailed with the first force, and has been wounded on two occasions, was recently invalided to England. Prior to leaving, Malta, he wrote thus to his relatives in Harcourt. :—

Tigne Hospital, Malta. July 25th.

Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting along splendidly. I think I will be going to St. George’s Hospital or Pembroke Camp this week for a week or two. We are getting looked after well here, plenty of good food and fruit, the fruit, consists of water melons, apples, pears and plums. It. is on the small side, but sweet. Yesterday evening (Sunday) I went for a walk down the main street, as far as the beach; then followed tho beach around as far as the Strand; there I met Herb Ross; he gave me news of the other boys, Perce Pellas, and he thought Les. Chapham, had gone back to the Peninsula, and he told me that Snowy Walters is marked down missing, but others tell me that, they saw him carried away on a stretcher wounded, and that he was quite happy, so I suppose he was only lightly hit. Bob Thomas is still at Alexandra, I think, also Lou Lazarus. Bert Biggs is having a tough time with his knee. The other night when I was sitting by him he was in agony. I saw his knee when the sister was dressing it on Saturday; it is just like a piece of raw meat, but it is starting to heal. He will be invalided back to Australia in a month or two. It is not an unusual sight to see a man with one arm gone, or a piece of his leg blown off. Perce Pellas was wounded through the fleshy part of his thigh with a rifle bullet. Ken Walker, who was Corporal of our section at Mena, but had risen to the rank of Lieutenant died from wounds last week, he used to help me with my photo developing at Mena. I have not got any tidings of Darby here. I believe Sgt McLaren was killed some few weeks ago. We will be allowed to go swimming in a few days now the water is only about 80 yards from the hospital. We got paid this morning; a whole 2/ piece. We can only draw 2/ a week here, but as soon as we get out to a convalescent camp we can draw 10 a week so will be alright for pocket money. I think the heads are going to give some of us an order to get some Maltese lace to send to our people; so I will very likely be sending you some at the end of the week. I believe they are having great recruiting going on in Australia now, we see a bit of the papers now and again about it. I think there will be a winter campaign ahead of us, up til now we have had remarkable weather all through, It could not have been better. I heard that Colonel Field was wounded in the face and had been sent to England.

St. George’s Hospital, August 1st.

I came over to this place last Wednesday, and am getting fairly comfortable. Things were not too clean at first, but they are improving. I went down to Tigne Hospital on Friday to see Bert Biggs; the doctors had operated on him the night before, and found it necessary to take his leg off just above the knee. He is taking it pretty well and I think he will pull though. I went over to Valetta yesterday and had a look around: it is a very pretty place; there are some nice gardens there, also some fine trees. One avenue looked very pretty consisted of trees about 12 feet high, in full bloom; the first tree was white and the next red, and like that alternately the whole length of the row. Me .went across in a ferry boat that cost, us 1d each. Things are a lot cheaper here than in Australia: lemon squash and all soft drinks 1d each: shaving. 1d; haircutting 2d; cigarette 1d and 1 1/2d per packet. There is a fine cricket pitch here, it is longer and wider than we have in Australia. I went down the other night, for a while, we are trying to get up a match with the R.A.M.C, at the end of the week. Perce Pellas left here about a fortnight before I came. Harry Laury is out at Pembroke Camp. We can get out when we like from 2 till 9 of an afternoon, but must have a pass. We heard last night that the Third Contingent had arrived at Gallipoli. I think they will take Achi Baba in a few days now; they will soon have to make a move of some sort.