Frasers Hill Camp
2.5.1916
Dear Col,
Just a line to you to let you know that I am still alive and amongst the living I’ve had a very crook cold but it is getting better slowly there hundreds in this camp with awful colds the enolicion brings it on well Col they tell there a few fowls in this camp but I’ve not seen them yet 5 oclock roll up blankets spray and (Ed note: indecipherable word maybe ‘gout’) tent with Phinile (Ed note: indecipherable word) the (indecipherable word, maybe ‘mark’or ‘march’) for a two mile sprint on the old hob nail express she no good mate on a empty waggon you can get that precious thing called jam if you not to tired to trot you old frame up to the galley at 4Pm jam it make tears fly to my eyes to see that awful battle field of the poor slain jam tins that awful jam war there slain in thousands if they get the uns like they get the jam they will be soon out they tell us jam is olesome food it might be but give me a slice of old nobbie the pole that they haul their precious stuff into this olesome galley I’ve had a good job these last few days cooking for our company (Ed note: indecipherable due to eroded paper, maybe ‘the’ or ‘their’) 285 strong they only have meat twice a day but they make it a (Ed note: indecipherable word, maybe ‘welter’) when they get meat this camp alone gets through 14 bullocks a day there a big mob of men when they all get together 7000 of us marched into Brisbane this Monday they never saw such a mob in Brisbane before and not to see for some time there are some fine big men have the pick of all this little ball of mud and ride (indecipherable name) has all his outlaws here and they can ride anything he can dig up to a standstill they will sit on any horse he is as long as his brand on him when they throw the brand the rider is still there, well Col this is a lively camp they have some great concerts every night there is something on they have all sorts of sports to amuse yourself but you get tired enough at night after marching all day it is tiring on the legs they want me to keep cooking for their company you follow your company when they sail but it is no good to me you get too easy free and greasy I want to get into the ranks again it is very hot cooking over these big stoves you can cook very near a bullock in one stove the cooking itself is all right but the hours is to long you have to be in the galleys from 4 until 8 they keep the fires going night and day I will put another few days in and throw in the apron she is no good to me I could get that anywhere without coming in here for it well Coll Queensland looks well now the grass is lovely here just like standing crops and lovely green My Wife is up with her mother I had a letter from her to say they are all well but the poor kids are always asking when their Daddy is coming home I will go up to them in a week or two it is near 400 miles from here we had a bonza trip over on the boat but I got sick and tired of the train & coach but the kiddies enjoyed the trip well Col this is all I have to write this time so I now Conclued (sic) hoping this to find you all in the best of health I am your Old Friend
Tom Anderson
Written on stationery with the following print:
Church of England Chaplains Department (Queensland) ‘With the Australian Forces”. Photo bust of man (King?) with Union Jacks flanking him. The year 1916 is pre-printed
Lack of punctuation is authors own, along with spelling errors and vernacular eccentricities.
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