WOUNDED SECOND TIME – Fri 10 Sep 1915

Private E. H, Ely, writing to his relatives at Harcourt, says:—

June 30th.—I am using my last envelope, so you may only get cards after this, until I can get more writing paper and envelopes. It is as hot here as summer is in Australia.

Through the daytime we lie in our dugouts with our blanket or water proof over us for shade. Taking it all through, we are having a fair time of it. We can go for a swim nearly every evening, so have no trouble to keep-clean. Captain Janes is in Heliopolis, Egypt, so I won’t see him for awhile yet. We are pretty comfortable here. If you saw us you would not worry. We were looking for adventure, and are getting it and enjoying it. We are quite hardened at the sight of blood; the wounded just glory in their wounds so long as they are not serious. Well, news is like the parcels, very scarce, so I will have to ring off.

July 8th.—Just a line or two to let you know how things are. I am writing this lying on board the hospital ship, and as you will wonder what is wrong I will tell you. Our turn came to go in the firing line last Saturday. Accordingly we went there. I don’t know if I told you I was acting storeman for the company. Well, such is the case. My place was in the reserve trench with the quartermaster sergeant. We could go into the firing line to the other boys and have a shot occasionally. On Monday morning during a fierce bombardment one shell dropped in our dugout, but did not explode. On Tuesday we had another bombardment from the Turks, this time 6 inch shells, or “Jack Johnsons” as we call them; Well one shell dropped just in front of our dugout and wounded one man and killed another who were sitting there.

I had just left them, otherwise I might have been seriously wounded. As it was I received the force of the concussion and the fall of dirt, I was unconscious for an hour and a half, and the first thing I knew was that I was down on the beach. I was duly sent on board for a day or two’s spell, but ere you get this I hope to be back with the boys again. It shook me up a bit, but for a bruise or two I am alright. I have got writing pad and envelopes, so am alright again.

We are not drawing our pay here, so when we do draw again we will have a few pounds to draw. This is very slow warfare, you go a little way in a long time. Have not seen Snowy or Percy Pellas yet. Four Castlemaine men are being invalided home. It would be better returning in good health.

July 12th. – As you will see by this I am still on the Hospital ship. It will be a week to-morrow since I came on board, but I expect to go ashore again any day now, my nerves got shook up a bit, but I am alright again, I am stiff and sore, just like we used to be after our first football match. Poor old Bert Biggs has got another nasty wound. A piece of shell has made a great hole in his knee, and I think he will have a stiff leg for the rest of his life. One side of his face was scorched, but that will be right in a day or two. I think he will be sent to England or invalided home. We only went into the firing line a little over a week ago and we have been under some pretty solid shell fire at times. The rifle fire is quiet, although it is risky to show your head, for the snipers would soon have you. I saw Jack C’onnell and Bob Facey the other day. Jack is attached to the ammunition column. Don’t forget to get what trees are needed for my orchard this year, also the wattles. I don’t see any chance of being home before Christmas.

July l5th.—I am pretty well alright again, although still very sore, and I am now off for a few days’ spell. I have not seen Percy Bellas since the day of landing, I believe he was wounded, but don’t know where he was sent. Gus Pegler is here on board suffering from shock and being buried with fall of earth. Colonel M’Cay is here too. He had the misfortune to break his leg. It is the leg that was wounded, and was still weak. He ran to dodge a sniper, with the above result. We have been having a rough time. It is an experience one does not want the second time.

July 17th.—I am getting on splendidly. We expect to land at Malta in the morning, and suppose we will stay there until fit to go back again. We left Lemnos on Thursday evening and I passed the coast of Greece last night. It was very steep what little we could see. On the slopes were a couple of villages, mostly white houses as far as we could see with the naked eye. Malta is a very pretty place, 1 believe I will write you more of it as I find it. Bert Ball was sent, to Malta when he was wounded. Bert Biggs is having a bad time with his knee, but I don’t think there is any danger of him losing his leg. You don’t need to lose any sleep over me, I will be alright. I have the idea I am coming safely through. This is a bonzer boat we are on she goes that steady, you would not think she is moving. In all the sailing we have done on the ocean we have had no rough weather at all.