Pte Donald Fergus Scott (Mt Evelyn), 6th Battalion: In hospital in Egypt. In a letter to his father in Mt Evelyn – ‘You will be pleased to hear that although I am unfit for further active service in an infantry regiment, I have been transferred to the motor transport service for this hospital as motor mechanic. I have not been well lately but are alright now.
The matron arranged for the mumps patients to go for a spin on Christmas Day in a motor ambulance which I drive when on duty. I forgot to say in my last that I am also now detailed for duty driving the ambulance for this hospital. There were seven of us altogether, five men and two sisters, all convalescent from the mumps.
The picnic they packed for us wasn’t that promising in appearance but just as we were about to drive off someone shouted ‘stop’ and the Orderly Room Sergeant came running down with a cloth covered parcel in his arms for me. It was from home and didn’t the spirits rise and how we all consumed what it contained. It felt like home brought into Egypt. In the evening at 7 o’clock we had our real Christmas dinner’.
Pte Dominico Correicllo (Lilydale), 4th Pioneer Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Kyarra.
Pte George Hamilton (Lilydale), 6th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Demosthenes.
Pte Leopold Muir (Wandin), 8th Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Demosthenes.
Pte Francis Lyall (Mt Evelyn), 21st Battalion: Leaves Australia bound for Egypt on the HMAT Demosthenes.