Pte Reuben Parry (Wandin), 29th Battalion: Arrives in England after being repatriated from a German prisoner of war camp. He had been captured in 1916 during the Battle of Fromelles.
Pte Howard Vernon (Lilydale), 5th Battalion: Is sentenced to six months imprisonment by a civil court in England for obtaining two horses under false pretences. In May 1919 he is released from prison put straight on a boat to Australia to be discharged.
Trp Bert Hutchinson (Lilydale), 4th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Tripoli. In a letter to his future wife, Jessie Mackenzie of Yalca, Vic – ‘Yes it is very nice to know the war is over but it may be a while before we are back in the sunny south. I expect to get home just before the winter so I hope it is a very mild season. The snow is still deep on the hills of Lebanon and the weather is rather cold but in a peaceful camp we are very comfortable.
I joined the regiment before we left Ludd on the last push and was with the regiment all the time. It was a great stunt but was hard on our poor horses. It’s hard to think that the horses will not be able to return with us and I hope the horses are not sold to the people of this land. The Indians would look after them but the natives would abuse them. I would sooner see the horses shot than go to the natives or some of the other eastern races. Some of the old horses have been shot and they may shoot all the old horses.
The people look much better of late. They were very short of food but all is well now. Vegetables are fairly plentiful and the potatoes are very good. They should be good when they are over four pence a pound. Most of the olives have been gathered and they are sending large quantities of oil away. The YM has not found out where we live but perhaps they will reach here by Christmas. We have been about this place nearly four weeks and every prospect of remaining another four. I would sooner move to another town as a camp gets monotonous. It will be very hard on those who have lost loved ones to see the boys coming home. Many faces will be missing still they did their duty and their sacrifice was not in vain’.
The following local soldiers arrive back in Australia from Europe on board the HT Port Sydney:
Cpl Jack Lester (Yering), 8th Battalion
Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams x (Lilydale), 8th Battalion
Shoeing Smith Hugh Wilson (Coldstream), 2nd Field Artillery Brigade