Coleraine Albion
and Western Advertiser (Vic.)
20 May 1915
A Coleraine Soldier's Letter
A letter was recently received by Mr. J. L. Wheeler, captain of the Coleraine Rifle Club, from Private H. Rogers, and it having been handed to us we make use of it for our readers. After a few lines of a private character Private Rogers says:—
We arrived at our destination at a seaport town called Alexandria after a very pleasant voyage of 6 weeks which was full of adventures and experience. We had a great trip, never a rough day at sea during the voyage. We left Port Melbourne on December 22nd, spent our Xmas sailing through the Great Australian Bight, and had a good Xmas dinner aboard the good transport Ulysses. We arrived at Albany on the 28th of December, and left on the 31st. After a run of 10 days we arrived at Colombo which has a very nice harbour. We did not get ashore, but what I could see from the deck of the Ulysses it seems a very nice town, with beautiful scenery in and around it.
After a stay of a few days we sailed for Aden (Arabia). We entered the Red Sea, our next port of call being Port Suez which has a nice harbour, and is also famous for its canal. Suez is a very pretty place. The town is built on the banks of the canal, has some notable buildings and nice streets. After a short stay we set sail up the canal which is between 80 and 90 miles something like 16 hours run. Of course big boats go very slow. The trip up the canal was a very nice one. We anchored for the night about 50 miles up at a place called Ishmalia, and at daybreak we sailed for Port Said which we reached on a Saturday evening, the 30th of January. This port is about the prettiest port of all, I reckon. We stayed at Port Said about 12 hours to take in coal and water. It was very funny to hear the natives while they were coaling singing in their own language. After coaling we sailed for Alexandria where we arrived on Sunday the 31st, about 5 o'clock. We disembarked on Tuesday, the 2nd of February, which was a lovely day.
It would do your heart good to see battalions of infantry marching to the railway station to entrain for Cairo which is about 100 miles from Alexandria. We had a good trip up in the train. We left Alexandria about 10 o'clock, and arrived at Cairo about 5 o'clock. After arrival we formed up, then marched out to the camp. You ought to have seen us plodding through the sand with full marching order up.
After a march about 2¼ miles we arrived at the camp at dark. We were lucky; tents were already pitched, we had a good tea, made down our bed in the sand, then turned in only to be called at 6 in the morning. The days are short, of course. It is winter here; although during the day it is warm the nights are very cold. This camp is a big one, and very comfortable and convenient. We have our meals in mess sheds, good food and accommodation. We are camped within ten minutes walk of Heliopolis, a very pretty place with some lovely buildings, public gardens, reserves, promenades, and pleasure resorts. There seems to be a large population of Egyptians here, but they appear to be busy going their own custom and style. Fruit and vegetables are very cheap, especially oranges which are grown here. When we are marching to our musketry to Abbassia the natives follow us, selling fruits and cookery. They also have some very nice streets, also a good tram service. The trams which run from Heliopolis to Cairo are very up-to-date, and travel much faster than those in Australian cities. Travelling is cheap. This is the home of the donkey and camel; it is wonderful to see such small animals pulling such heavy loads. The camels also carry big loads. It is very funny to see some of our boys mounted on donkeys in the streets of Heliopolis.
There is one thing, we have plenty of amusement. After the day's work aerodrome, camp picture show, circus, shooting galleries, billiards, etc. You cannot go wrong for recreation after our work is done. It would do your heart good if you were here — last Sunday, well, in fact, there are church services held every Sunday — to see about 4000 officers and men of the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade at church service; then after the service we march back to our lines to the tune of "Swanee River". There are four battalions of infantry in camp each with a good brass band.
I see by the "Coleraine Albion" which was sent to me by a kind and thoughtful friend, where you and members of the C. R. C. have your drill parades regularly. I suppose you have a nice little squad. The work is harder than we had at Broadmeadows, we go out to work at nights, making attacks during which time we lie out in the open with full marching order on; we lie down on our water-proof sheets with great coats on. After given a few hours' sleep we are ordered to get up. You may get a call at 1 a.m. in the morning. We sleep with our rifles slung over our shoulders, so there is no time lost when we are awakened, till we are on the move. This may be about 5 or 6 miles from the camp.
Twenty minutes' ride in the trams will bring you from Heliopolis to Cairo, but last Sunday I took the long way round, wishing to see some of the outskirts of Cairo. It has a great many ancient buildings. Of course, there are some up to date ones; there was one old 3-storey structure, known as the slave market, and you can see the old execution block which still bears marks of some ghastly work. Cairo is a very pretty place, much nicer than I reckoned. It has some beautiful buildings, also nice streets. There are some very up-to-date and fashionable quarters, but I took a stroll through the slums and narrow alleys where you will see a great many poor people. I could tell you a good deal more, but this letter may not pass the censor, so one has to be careful.
Other places worthy of a visit are the Citadel, Mosque, Museum Galleries, Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which are the prettiest ones in the world. Other places worthy of a visit are the historic Nile River, the Pyramids, and the famous Sphynx, which is a wonderful sight. The two big Pyramids, which are about 470 feet high, must have taken a long time to build; must have been strong men because they had no cranes or steam winches in those days. The Pyramids are about 8 miles from the Heliopolis camp, and the trams run right out to the foot of them.
Donald Campbell and I are the only two from Coleraine in the 14th battalion. Jim Fitzgerald is in the reinforcements camped at Abyssia.
You people in Victoria have heard bad accounts of the 14th batallion. One day last week when we were out in the desert, our commanding officer referred to the bad reports he heard of, at least, was told by an officer that came over with the reinforcements, that we, the 14th battalion, left a dirty trail wherever we went. The 14th had a good reputation in Victoria, and I am proud to say that we are keeping that reputation up. The speaker said he did not know whether it was the act of jealousy, mischief or malice, but such is not the case. You people in Victoria have only heard one side of it. It lies with me and my fellow comrades to contradict the work of some ill-disposed persons. Now, strange to say, we never got ashore at any of the places mentioned. I can assure you there was a great deal of indignation among us when we heard it. Then, on the other hand, we all have left behind us mothers, sisters, and sweethearts; what will they think of us? They will be worrying, but there is no occasion for them to worry as there is no truth in the statements.
I have been enjoying good health all through since I left; never was better in my life. This climate agrees with me, although it is not quite as nice a climate as that of dear old Australia.
The description of the rifle we have been issued with is small magazine Lee-Enfield, Mark 111, a very nice, serviceable pattern. It is not a B.S.A. but B S.A. pattern, calibre 303, twist of firing spiral, left handed, 1 in 10, or 33 calibres, adjustable foresight, radial back sight with vertical adjustment and wind guage. We have also been issued with a very nice equipment which comprises one water proof bag (black), two khaki jackets, two pairs of khaki trousers, three pairs of socks, two towels, one mend-all, one carry all, one toilet outfit, two singlets, two heavy flannel unders, two pairs of underpants, one Balaclava cap, one khaki shirt, one sweater, two blankets, one water-proof sheet, one khaki great coat, two pairs of boots (tan), one khaki hat, one evening cap. This makes up a very comfortable equipment. We have had an extra issue of one Cardigan jacket, three pairs of socks, and one large pocket knife and lanyard.
Soldier Identified: Private Henry Samuel Rogers, Service No. 775, 14th Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. Returned to Australia, 5 July 1915.
"Ulysses" A38, 23 December 1914, Port Melbourne. (Australian War Memorial)
Sources:
A Coleraine Soldier's Letter (1915, May 20). Coleraine Albion and Western Advertiser (Vic. : 1902; 1914 - 1918), p. 3.
"Ulysses" A38, 23 December 1914, Port Melbourne. Australian War Memorial
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