13th March 1915

An account of the goings-on at Mena, in a letter home, by Sergeant Albert Runcorn

of the 7th Battery, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade - published in The Queenslander, on

the 13th March 1915 (below).

[Courtesy of National Library of Australia - Trove]

Sergeant Albert E. Runcorn, who left Queensland with the Queensland battery of the First Contingent, writing from Egypt to his parents at Gipps-street, Valley, mentions several matters of interest which occurred at the Mena Camp. Sergeant Runcorn, who served in the Boer war, left Queensland with the rank of acting sergeant; he now has his full rank, and is also a qualified semaphorist, and, when he wrote, hoped in a week or two to pass the Morse examination. He says [he] and his comrades are getting along well, and that they are looking forward to meeting the enemy. He sends some interesting notes regarding the officers, and mentions that one day when some of the non-commissioned officers were being put through the laying tests the general staff rode up and stayed until they were completed. He noticed one of the heads observing him, but he did not for the moment recognise him. A little later this colonel sent for him, asked him his name, and reminded him that at Lytton 16 or 17 years ago he had undergone a course of instruction under Major Healy, and that he (then Lieutenant White) was present at the time. The colonel shook hands with him and also presented him to General Anderson, who the writer adds, was in those days a captain.

Street scene at the exterior of the Arabic Museum in Cairo, 1915.

[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - H03078]

Saturday 13th March 

Obtained leave for the day. Left camp at 9. With Ali Bey and his son I visited the Arab Museum also the Egyptian British Museum. Both are exceedingly interesting especially the former. Would like to spend a couple of days in the latter. Had lunch at Continental Hotel. After lunch we went to the Tombs of the Mamelukes. There is certainly some wonderful work to be seen. I also wanted to see the interior of some of the Mosques, but we were pressed for time.

Went to dinner at the British Residency at 8.15. All Australian Brigade Commanders present excepting Col Christian who for some reason was not invited. Very interesting evening. Returned to Continental Hotel at 10.30 for my coat etc. saw some naval officers and Midshipmen in the hall. I spoke to them and ascertained they had been with Charley at Dartmouth. They are serving on the "Doris". She is at present at Port Said and they had 48 hours leave. They have been shelling bridges etc in the vicinity of Alexandretta, and indications point to our going in that direction.

Major King and Hughes, Lieut Olding and Garling came home with me in a car. Lieut Asher seriously ill with Pnuemonia and Measles. No hope held out for his recovery.

Officers patrols out at work. 

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - Sir Charles Rosenthal diary]