Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Pte. John Gordon Scouller, 15th Battalion Australian Infantry, wrote to his father from Mena Camp on 22nd February 1915. He described his journey from Melbourne aboard H.M.A.T. Ceramic to Egypt and impressions of his new surroundings.

“We left Melbourne on December 22nd. We trained from Broadmeadows to Port Melbourne pier, and went on the boat Ceramic. She is the largest boat that has been in Australian waters. There were 2900 soldiers and 300 of a crew, making in all 3200. She is a lovely boat, and as steady as a rock. We never had a rough hour all the way. We got to Albany on December; 27th, and left on the 31st. It is a very pretty place and has a fine harbour. Our next place of call was Aden on January 22. Aden is a very rugged place and has claims to beauty. All the buildings are built on rocks as far as we could see. One of the 16th W. A. died at Aden; and was accorded a military funeral. [1] The climate here is nice this time of year. We were there two days and took in coal. It is loaded with black labor. The laborers are the worst stamp of humanity I have ever seen. There were hundreds of them. They came along our boat selling fruit and silk and ostrich-plumes — anything at all. They all seem to be starving. We would throw bread to them and sometimes it would fall in the water; but it was all the same. They ate it. On the 24th we passed Hell's gates. There is a light house on a rock. There are a great many big rocks in the Red Sea about here. The naval captain's wife came on board at Aden, and is the only woman on the boat. Jan 20: One of the 15th Batt; Q., died at six last night — a chap named Aggot. [2] Sunstroke was the cause of death. He was buried at 8 o'clock that night. There is a fairly good stretch of water leading up to the canal; but the big boats have to take a winding course in order to keep the deep channel. There are fairly high cliffs on the left as you go up to Suez. On the left are large tanks for purified water, just before you reach the town. Suez, 29th. All boats entered the canal one in front of the other, about 200yds apart. We soon saw signs of war. Native troops and N.Z's were entrenching, and putting up barb wire entanglements. The native troops showed signs of pleasure by throwing up their hats, and cutting all sorts of capers, as if bayonetting an enemy. On the left you are continually passing small shrubs and palms; on the right is a barren desert. January 30: Passed Ishmail this morning, where a big camp of native soldiers are strongly entrenched. We saw a biplane. We reached Port Said this evening (5th Feb.) It looks a very nice place from the boat. It is built right up to the water's edge. The people seem of all Nationalities. The boat traders do a good business. Four water planes flew over the boat and landed in the water behind us. We left Port Said next morning, and landed at Alexandria on February 3rd. We got into the train and arrived at Cairo at about 10 o'clock at night, and got into camp about half-past one in the morning. There were 18 boats altogether. We are camped at a place called Heliopolis a suburb of Cairo, about five miles out. It is rather a nice place, and all good buildings. It puts Australia in the shade for buildings. There is one hotel here with 366 rooms in it. It has been turned into a hospital. The British Government, I believe is paying £1000 a month for it. Everything inside is marble. The building is supposed to have cost over £2,000,000 and £70,000 to furnish. I have been into Cairo twice, and out to the Pyramids. They are a lovely sight. The highest is 450ft high. You wonder how they ever got the blocks of stone there. There is no stone about for miles. The Sphinx is wonderful. It has the nose off it. Napoleon is supposed to have blown it off with a shell. I have been through two or three mosques. They must have cost millions. The walls are covered with mother of pearl, and all sorts of expensive things. I saw one post of granite about 35ft high and about 3ft through. How they got it there the Lord only knows. Then in each mosque are the tombs of the Sultan who built them and his family. We were through the native parts of Cairo, where you could spend no end of money if you had it. It is a great place for donkeys, the natives have them. A ride on them up the street costs one piastre and so on. They are terrors for trading. They sell cigarettes, oranges, cakes, tomatoes and everything there is money in. They follow us for miles on march, as far as seven or eight miles. The Arab ponies are very pretty. There are plenty of camels here carrying fodder, green stuff, lucerne and clover. It is a marvellous place. It is all irrigated from the Nile. There are hundreds of tons carted to the camp every day. The bridge over the Nile looks well. On each side of the bridge at each end there is the figure of a lion. It looks well coming up to it — two lions on the top of the bridge, about 15ft up at each end.” [3]

Scouller was killed at Gallipoli on 9th/10th May 1915. Commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, he was the son of James Scouller, of Darr Creek, Jondowie, Queensland.

[1] Pte. Harold Glen Robinson, 16th Battalion Australian Infantry, died of pneumonia on 20th January 1915. Buried in Maala Cemetery, Aden (modern Yemen), he was the 18 year-old son of James and Lila Robinson, of Noarlunga, South Australia.

[2] Dvr. Frederick Agutter, 15th Battalion Australian Infantry, died of meningitus on 27th January 1915 (according to official records). Commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Egypt, he was the son of Mary Jane Agutter, Wyanbah, Calypso Avenue, Mosman, Mosman, Sydney, New South Wales.

[3] 'Nathalia Herald and Picola, Narioka, Kotupna and Moira Advertiser' (Victoria), 25th May 1915.

Image: “Group portrait of officers and men of E Company, 15th Battalion. Identified back row, left to right: Unidentified; 730 Private (Pte) James Edward Courtney; S. Smith; 755 Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Kenneth William Kendall; 710 L/Cpl Edward Ashton Kirby (killed in action at Gallipoli 15 June 1915); 755 Pte Francis Milton Paterson (killed in action at Gallipoli 14 May 1915); 769 Pte Kenneth Hugh McLeod (killed in action at Gallipoli 3 May 1915); 781 Pte Charles Augustus Siddons; 768 Pte Ronald McLeod (died of disease at Gallipoli 10 July 1915); 740 Pte Percy Davis (killed in action in France 4 July 1918); unidentified; 764 Alexander George McKay; 765 Pte Thomas Aubrey McKay; 747 Pte John Howard Fielding (killed in action at Gallipoli 1 May 1915). Fifth row, left to right: 805 Pte Charles Edward Lionel West; 715 Pte Alfred John Alcock; 792 Pte John Carlisle Alvin Smith (killed in action at Gallipoli 8 August 1915); unidentified; 1816 Pte Ernest Ivey Robisson Coffey (killed in action at Gallipoli 8 August 1915); unidentified; 786 Pte Reginald George Hornby Schofield (killed in action at Gallipoli 24 May 1915); 749 Pte Henry George Hughes; 807 Pte William James Webb; 772 Pte Robert Thomas Owens; H. Vizer; 789 Pte Henry Leighton Lewis Smith; 736 Pte Ethlyn Cyril Dunstan; 751 Pte William Hogben (died of wounds at Gallipoli 17 August 1915). Fourth row, left to right: 802 Pte Oswald Stewart Wemyss (killed in action at Gallipoli 29 April 1915); 723 Pte Percy Walter Boston (killed in action at Gallipoli 10 May 1915); 721 Pte Leslie Keith Brayley; 754 Pte James Merson Kidner (died of wounds received at Gallipoli 7 May 1915); 741 Pte Claude Arthur Daniel (killed in action at Gallipoli 3 May 1915); 780 Pte Thomas Terance Rodgers; 729 Pte Sydney Cresswell (killed in action at Gallipoli 8 August 1915); 818 Pte Leonard Lewis Daniel; 753 Pte Alfred Jackson (true name Henry Little - died of disease in England 23 October 1918); 776 Pte Francis Evan Perrett (killed in action at Gallipoli 3 May 1915); C. Gibson; 790 Pte Gordon Smith (died of wounds in France 8 September 1918); 816 Pte Stanley Clifford Cousens (killed in action in France 9 August 1916); 748 Pte Frederick Merton Heathcote. Third row, left to right: 762 Pte Joseph Masson (died of wounds at Gallipoli 20 May 1915); 759 Pte Ernest Ross Martin (died at Gallipoli 24 May 1915); unidentified; 796 Pte Albany Smale; 806 Pte Albert Eugene Warbey (alias Warby); 731 Pte Albert Castley; 773 Pte Patrick O'Connor; 739 Pte Victor Daley; 750 Pte Charles Harold Hodsdon (died in hospital in Constantinople while POW 21 January 1916); 788 Pte Peter Simpson; 745 Pte John Fraser (killed in action at Gallipoli 6 May 1915); 727 Pte Francis Horace Cave; 744 Pte Henry Edelsten (died of wounds in France 30 August 1916); 701 Colour Sergeant (Sgt) William John Powell. Second row, left to right: 706 Corporal (Cpl) William Mackay; 711 L/Cpl Henry Alfred Eibel (killed in action in France 11 April 1917); 767 Pte William James Herbert McGarry; 793 Pte John Gordon Scouller (killed in action at Gallipoli 9 May 1915); 712 L/Cpl Walter Seccombe (killed in action at Gallipoli 10 May 1915); 716 Pte Edward Charles Bartholomew; unidentified; 752 Pte Robert Inman; 722 Pte Arthur Beesley; 724 Pte Frederick Blake (killed in action at Gallipoli 8 August 1915); 746 Pte Norman Fuhrman (killed in action in France 11 April 1917); 702 Sgt Joseph Edward Sparks; 703 Sgt William James Taffe; 705 Cpl Edward Melia (killed in action at Gallipoli 2 May 1915). Front row, left to right: 742 Pte Alfred Elliott; 798 Pte Arthur Norman Tweedale; 704 Sgt James Carter Treherne; 813 Sgt Casimar Edric Pennefather Ryan; 770 Lance Sgt James Stephen McNeill; Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Thomas Robertson (killed in action at Gallipoli 27 April 1915); Captain Hugh Quinn (killed in action at Gallipoli 29 May 1915); 2Lt Francis Leofric Armstrong (killed in action at Gallipoli 10 May 1915).” AWM A03577.