Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"AUSTRALIANS IN EGYPT.

Longing to Get There. From Corporal Lionel Symons, No. 881, A.I.F., 3rd Light Horse Details, Aerodrome Camp, Heliopolis, Egypt, to Mr. H. S. Taylor.

— Eager for the Trenches —

Dear Sir,— I thought perhaps you would care to receive a few words from me, having known you during the years I was at Renmark and having joined the forces from there and being attached to the same regiment as most of our Renmark boys and having seen them I am taking the liberty of dropping you a few lines which may be of interest to some of the readers of the Renmark Pioneer, having a large circulation along the Murray, and so many of the boys being either at the front in Gallipoli or in Egypt.

Meets Renmark Boys — I had the pleasure of meeting most of the boys from Renmark that are attached to the 3rd L. H.— Lance-Corporal Bunty Wyllie, Lance-Corporal Victor Odgers, Val Rogers, Whitlock Jones, Dave Westley, Sergeant Delatour, I'm sorry to say that poor Delatour was shot the first day or two, also Alex Bax, well known in Renmark in connection with racing. Dave Westley I believe is wounded and has been sent to Malta; Lance-Corporal Bunty Wyllie was also wounded and I believe has been sent to England for treatment. Lance-Corporal Victor Odgers also has been slightly wounded, but I believe is back again in the trenches, Clarie Dunhill, late of Cole & Woodham's, came out to see me at the camp the other day; he is well enough to get about now. He was shot through the shoulder, and is talking about going back again soon. I'm sorry to say that Harold Black is reported amongst the missing but when I last heard Roy James and Tom Kelly were going strong, but Archy Smith, I haven't met since I've been to Egypt. I think he was ill with measles and in that hospital when I first landed in Heliopolis.

- 117 in the Shade — I was unfortunate enough to be sent to the Palace hospital, which is one of our base hospitals, with sunstroke, I was sent with some other non-commissioned officers to Abbseen with some prisoners. It was 117 in the shade that day and walking through the desert was anything but pleasant. Anyway I felt ill and was sent to the hospital. While I was at Helvan convalescent hospital I met young Bennett, late of the R.F.P.U., who was recovering from a wound in the shoulder and was talking of going back shortly.

— Frustrated Hopes — The 4th reinforcements, of which I am one, were unfortunate enough to be kept back to look after the horses as you know. I suppose that our L.H. have all gone over as Infantry, as the country is not suitable just at present for them. They would have been no good, not until a landing had been affected. Word came through a couple of days ago that 118 troopers and 13 non-coms, had to leave the next day for Gallipoli, as our 5th and 6th reinforcements would be at the Aerodrome Camp that night to take charge of the horses. The train was chartered and all arangemeats made and the, men picked and I was one of the Non-Coms., so we were all in high spirits and excited, but we were doomed to disappointment, as the 5th and 6th didn't arrive; so we are here still, but we go as soon as we are relieved, and I can assure you the boys are longing to get in the trenches.

— Still Going Strong — I forgot to tell you that the last I heard of Ern Huselius was that he was still going strong, also Herman Black of the 3rd L.H. I'm sorry to say that poor (name struck out) a relation of (name struck out) of your town, was killed. Some or the Renmark chaps I've heard nothing of, so I can give you no news of them. I'm pleased to tell you that I met Jim Dillon and Percy Morgan soon after they landed. Jim is a Lance-Corporal, for which I am pleased, as he takes a vast amount of interest in soldiering." - from the Renmark Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record 09 Sep 1915 (nla.gov.au)