Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918
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Gus Stelling to Parents, Cairo, circa September-October 1915
Dear Mother and Father,
Well, I have been running about and seeing some of Egypt. Last Sunday, Will [Liston], Myself and some of our other mates went to the Pyramids. They are wonderful; it is about one hour's ride in the tram to Cairo, then you hire from the natives either camels or donkeys to go around, they cost about 5 piastres each. A piastre is worth 2 1/2.
There are two or three different tombs to be seen, and the Sphinx. I had my fortune told by an old native fortune-teller. He said that, I was to get promotion very shortly, and that I would go to the front and get shot through the right hand, and go into the hospital and then get promotion again. We did not go to the top of the Pyramid but we went inside. The entrance is about 40 feet from the ground, so you have to climb up big boulders to it. There are plenty of natives there to show you through.
The first thing you do is to take off your boots, as the bottom of the tunnel is like glass. You go in for about thirty yards then you turn suddenly up for about another thirty yards, and you come to a small room where some coffins and mummies were supposed to be found. From here you turn to the right and go up another passage to King Choep's room, a room about 8 yards by 12 yards and about 30 feet high. All this is seen by candle light and two or three pieces of Magnisien ribbon, for which the guide charges 4 Piastres.
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I am sending some coins which are supposed to be found in an ancient tomb and some pieces of limestone I got in King Choep's room.
My new duties are not too bad, although I have been going for the last week pretty hard. We have about a quarter of one of the huts with six beds (made by the natives out of palm sticks), and I am in charge. My duties are to call the defaulters' roll at bugle call, and if they are not here to crime them. Get all men ready to go to Abassia that is, if any men are to go, get them medically examined, get their kits checked by the Quarter Master and parade them at Camp Orderly Room at 10.30 sharp each morning. I also have to see that my six policemen do their work, that is, see that nothing is stolen from the battalion huts, and that no disturbances are made and to see that all lights are out and report it at Orderly Rooms, then I can go to bed.
Our company is now split up for different duties. There are only about twenty of them in camp. The rest are on Cairo picket, and Guards in camp and hospitals. Fred [Glide] is on the Hospital Guard and Bill on the Cairo Picket. I am very sorry to cable for money so soon, but it is marvellous how easily it goes. There are so many curios which the natives have, you want to taste and try.
Harold Barker has been living in this camp and might be still here, but I cannot find him. I have seen Fred Wickham and Scotchy Bilinge. Scotchy was one of six that remained out of a company after the landing. Mick Clowe was coming behind him and the nose cap of a shell passed under Scotchy's arm and hit Mick in the shoulder.
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The camp here is full of chaps returned from the front. They have wounds everywhere. One got a bullet right through the forehead and it came out right at the back. He is still alive. Our Regimental Sgt Maj has about ten wounds and his right hand broken up. Don't be surprised at me not cabling "Snow", as they would not let us cable anything else but our names.
Have no idea when we are leaving, for the front, but will drop a line as soon as I hear. We might be here for some time, I am going to have my photo taken again in shorts and helmet, and will send one as soon as I get them. Hope you are all keeping real well, and that everything is going well. Remember me to all my friends, and tell them how I am. Ask them how they could imagine me a policeman. I have grown a good bit. I'm a little bigger than Fred. Fred and Bill are in the best of health and are having a good time. They wish to sincerely be remembered to you. I must close now with best love from the Policeman to all.
I remain,
Your loving Son,
Gus.
Letter courtesy of the Dusek Family, 2015.
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Friends mentioned in Gus's letter.
Although Will Liston lived in Essendon when he enlisted, his father had a business in Bellair St, Kensington. Will had been a volunteer cadet at the Kensington State School, so the family presumably lived in Kensington for some years.
Fred Glide, Fred Wickham, Francis 'Scotchy' Bilinge and Clarence 'Mick' Clowe were all known to Gus through the Kensington Presbyterian Church. They were all two or three years older than Gus, and were probably friends of Gus's elder brother Les before the war. Fred Glide also attended Kensington State School.
Harold Barker lived in Ascot Vale and had no obvious connections in Flemington, but Gus would have known him from the Area 58 Senior Cadets.
When Gus enlisted he was 5 feet 6ΒΌ inches, while Fred Glide was 5' 8 inches. If Gus's claim that he was now taller than Fred Glide was accurate, he must have grown nearly two inches since joining the army.
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