Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Yea Chronicle (Yea, Vic. : 1891 - 1920), Thursday 14 October 1915, page 3

News From Our Boys The following letter has been received by Mrs. C. Cosgrove, of Yea from her son. Private J. R. Cosgrove, of the First Expeditionary Force :St. David's Camp Hospital, Pembroke Camp, Malta, 28-August, 1915. Dear Mother, - No doubt you will be surprised to receive a letter from the above address, but by the time you receive it I will be back in the firing line again. I am not too bad. I am very weak, and have lost weight, but a good rest and some good food should make me all right again. The doctor sent me away with a pal, as he said we had both the same complaint. By the time we reached the hospital boat my pal had developed-cholera and had to be treated straight away. I slept for eighteen hours, and when I woke up we were well out to sea. Later I was put on an hospital transport and came on here. I don't know what happened to the pal, he looked pretty bad, and his temperature was 103.6 degrees. I had lived practically on nothing for close on three weeks. Anything I swallowed gave me " rats;" except a raw egg and some milk warmed up now and then. I dare   not eat any meat yet, but I hope to be able to manage something substantial shortly. Bully beef and biscaits would just about settle me now. I will never eat any of it again, if I can possibly dodge it. I have had over fourteen weeks of it, and and about fed up. A good spell will put it right, and then I will be able to get back. The Turks got a terrible doing a few weeks ago, and are still losing heavily. If they have sense they would shoot the German officers and turr the game up. They have no hope of winning now. The Irish Brigade caught them very neatly one morning, and the Turks haven't quite realised yet what has hap pened. By George! it was a glorious sight the morning the Irish, Dublin and Munster Fusiliers landed. The Turks didn't expect 'em, and when they got it in the neck they turned and cleared for their lives, with the Fusiliers after them as hard as they could cut. They captured a terrible crowd of them, and while everything was busy the Indians and some Australians hopped out of a trench- and captured three lines of trenches. In one gully they took a-Divisional Head Quarters, and the booty was fairly big. German officers had "dug outs" that were fit for a prince to live in. By George! they live well. Pity them if they make any treacherous movement. The boys watch 'em pretty close, and will put them out if they start any dirty business. We have a lovely place here. A great sea view and a cool breeze all day and night. We have a big square tent with sixteen beds, and are well looked after. We can all get about and save the orderly a bit of work. I had a fresh water shower this morning, the first one for three months. The Yea boys are keeping "fit," and so far they are all right. We are having a very decent time here-plenty of work, but nothing to worry about. A swim every other day, with a bit of luck. Leo sent me a nice box of eatables from Alexandria. They come in very handy now and then, when we get tired of a dish, such as stew. Taking it all round, we are having a very decent time. Captain Roy McLeish has rejoined us again, and everybody in our crowd welcomed him to his new "home.,' He is a grand chap, and still looks after us like an old father. He is always among his men, and he cannot do enough for us. Sometimes it is a treat to hear him "go off" over something, on account of his quiet way of doing things. He is a captain now, and I hope he gets all the promotion he deserves. His brother got a slight wound, but a very sore one. He will be here shortly again I expect; By the time you get this I will be twenty one, so I am getting quite an old fellow now. Your Affectionate Son, John [Private Cosgrove,since writing the above has gone to hospital in England,]