Trp Bert Hutchinson (Lilydale), 4^th Light Horse Regiment: In camp in Egypt. In a letter to his future wife, Jessie Mackenzie of Yalca, Vic – ‘Thank you very much for the parcel and papers. The cigarettes were highly appreciated by all of us. I do not smoke very often but all the others are heavy smokers. (Eight of us live in one tent.) The handkerchiefs came in the nick of time; I was going to write home for some. We get plenty of time for reading and we are always pleased to get papers. Most of our mail goes on to France and is sent back here but as long as we get it we do not mind.

I have been in this land of sand and sunshine for about sixteen months. I have been all around Cairo etc but I have not been in Upper Egypt. With regard to the summer in Egypt, I was told that it was unbearable and that we would all be glad when the winter arrived but I did not mind the summer last year. I think the worst month was June.

Most of the time we have been camped on the desert doing patrols but I have not been in the thick of the fighting, still there is plenty of time and I hope to have a chance shortly’.

Pte Robert King (Lilydale), 59^th Battalion: Arrives back in Australia from Europe on board the HT Karoola. He is to be discharged as medically unfit as a result of a leg wound received at Fromelles.