A Farthing Will Do (April Grove, a Street at War series Book 8)

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Harry's "April Grove" is so much better. One person found this helpful 2 people found this helpful. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. View or edit your browsing history. Get to Know Us. English Choose a language for shopping. Amazon Music Stream millions of songs.

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The walls are all painted and took a man 30 years to complete. When he had finished, they put his eyes out so that he would not be able to paint anything like it. March past George Reid and then he addressed us telling us he had Kitchener's promise to send us to the front as soon as we were fit.

Had a good time. Received letters from London. Our new officer took charge today. He was a private and had no experience whatever. Bitterly cold and terribly dusty. Got afternoon off and went to Mena where the infantry are encamped and spent up to 7 p. The infantry camp is one of the finest camps I ever had the good fortune to see. Went to Cairo in the evening and had a splendid hot bath, which is one of the best things obtainable in this city. Pease pudding and cake arrived. Receive nine letters today.

By Jove letters are very welcome though answering them is a dammed nuisance. Missed writing this up for over a week. However, there has been nothing doing. Went into Cairo two or three times and had a hot bath every time. Went to a concert in S. Regiment which was good. I wrote Bridges and Weir.

Had reply from Weir saying he would be glad to see me. Nothing much doing until today when we had to shift camp from Maadi 8 miles south of Cairo to Heliopolis 8 miles north of Cairo. We left our old camp at 9: We struck the dead city, which is where a great many people used to live but cholera broke out and they cleared away leaving their dead unburied.

No one has lived there since that time. First of all we came to a very large cemetery. The graves are nearly all alike with a slab of stone along the top at each end. Then we came to places all walled in evidently old living places, but of course mostly now in ruins.

Occasionally we could see in through a broken door or window, and there was generally a few graves inside. It was terribly dusty and riding through at times we couldn't see 5 yards in front of us and the stink was pretty crook. We had to pass through a good deal of old Cairo and it was rather interesting. Heliopolis is a part of suburbs of Cairo and has been built in the last five or six years.

The buildings are really magnificent and nearly all white. The streets are wide and well laid out. We passed two or three funerals. The native funeral is rather a peculiar affair. Two or three of them carry the dead person in a kind of open box with a cloth covering the top. They are usually accompanied by about 20 or 30 other natives, Some of whom occasionally ride double. They evidently have no foundation for the procession but walk everywhere and at times start singing.

I can't describe their singing. One funeral, we saw yesterday was evidently that of a baby. We heard the singing of some half dozen men before they came in sight, and then we saw a man riding a donkey with a small coffin balanced on the donkey in front of him and covered with what appeared to be a shawl. This is a terribly dirty, dusty place where we are now camped and much hotter than Maadi.

The country is much flatter and the sand is merely a fine brown dust. It will be impossible to keep clean. We arrived here at 2 p. After tea and a couple of us went for a walk up the town. It is really pretty and I must go up in the daylight if possible.

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Got day off to go to dentist. Went to Pyramids to see Colonel Weir but he was not to be found. Went back to town and met Jerry. Spend the evening with him. Went out again drilling at about 3 p. We were digging trenches. All the Light Horse were out. We were amongst the cultivated ground. It is really beautiful. The green crops of Lucerne or wild groves of palm trees here and there and the natives working in the fields. We went through several native villages and got back to camp at about 7 p.

There must have been 7 or of us. Infantry, Light Horse and artillery attacking a position. It was a night well worth seeing, but the artillery makes one realise that war is not the best of games. I had to take charge of some fellows, and then went on and go to another camp for some stuff and did not get back until 7: So had another long day. Saturday and not much doing.

Just got in parade at about Got back to camp about 4: In afternoon went to Mena and saw Colonel Weir. Spend evening with some people named Shore. Got afternoon off and went out to Maadi to see Hector Shelley Spent the afternoon with him and went into Cairo for the evening. Digging trenches all day and went out to Heliopolis for a hot bath and feed in the evening. Rather a good day's until today, but too hot to be pleasant. Went into Cairo in the evening with a couple of pals and had a good time.

We had a very good day indeed and as we were amongst the crops all day it was not so hot. Struck tents in morning for an airing and read papers in the afternoon. Very hot and beastly dusty. Very dusty and hot. Lay in bed reading all day. De Saxe came in to see me at about teatime, we went up to Heliopolis and to Luna Park.

Knocked around generally and had a good time. Beautiful day and an easy one as far as drill was concerned. I slept in a trench for a couple of hours, trench 3'6" deep and 18 inches wide, so didn't have much room. Went into Heliopolis for a bath and needless to say enjoyed it immensely. Afterwards went to Luna Park. At rifle range all day. Got back to camp at about 3: At camp again at 9 p.

No talking or smoking allowed. Dug trenches all night and got back to camp at 8 a. Church parade in morning. Went to Cairo and spent afternoon at Shores who took me to a picture show in the evening. Had my fortune told. I am to have a slight accident at the war, but it won't be serious. I'll marry a girl with dark hair and have two kiddies.

When I get back to Australia some big building is going to make me very happy. Rifle ranges again today very hot and terribly dusty. When we get back to camp, everything was in an awful mess and I had to get every thing out of my tent and shaken. I can now understand why mother used to worry when the house was dusty. Sunday Church parade in the morning. No one wanted leave in the afternoon, so I got it.

Went into Cairo with a pal and went through the native bazaars. Then through a couple of mosques, after which we went up to the citadel and into the mosque there. It is really beautiful and has thick carpets, and hundreds of hanging lamps. I believe it is supposed to be one of the finest mosques in the world.

We saw a lot of Indian soldiers who were wounded at Ismailia. We then went back to the city, had a snack and wandered about a good while. It was now moonlight and the Nile look beautiful. Got back to camp at about Had a bit of breakfast and left camp at 4: Rode out about 12 miles and fed the horses again.

Then had a sham fight. Back to the camp, where we arrived at about noon. Nothing doing in the afternoon except we got horses clipped. The Niggers were clipping them. I told them mine was an officers horse so they took especial care of him. Rained a bit during the evening. Nothing doing practically all day. Had a couple of heavy showers of rain in the morning.

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Spend the evening at Shores. General, McMahon and all the other heads. Thousands of troops and the heads were very well pleased with us. Had to fight our way into camp there. Got there at about 5 p. Had to sleep on the sand in front of our horses. Maadi for Helouan which we reached at about 2: Had a walk round the town in the evening. It is a rather nice place with very fine pubs. Helouan is a great health resort and is noted for its sulphur baths. I only had half a piastre [a penny farthing] and so had to look in the windows of the restaurants.

So could not help smiling when I realised how poor I was. Left Helouan again, and marched back to Maadi. Spent the evening with Shelley and went to a concert in the camp with him. Left Maadi for Heliopolis. Fought the New Zealanders on the way. Pay was dealt out at about 5: Sunday and a terribly rotten dusty day too. On duty all day, but went into Cairo to picture show in the evening. A big review for the benefit of Ian Hamilton place today. Thousands of troops and all looked very fine indeed. Hot and out about 10 miles and digging trenches in the desert all day.

Not the best of work, but better than banking. Left camp at about 8: We had to ride through Cairo and along the main road to Alexandria. As there was a great deal of cultivation land on each side of us it was not a bad trip. When we got there at about 4 p. The plain where we were camped is a beautiful botanical Gardens with glorious green lawns. We were told we could sleep where we liked so you bet I was camped on one of the lawns.

Had a great sleep all night and thought I was Adam when I woke up in the morning on a lawn with trees all round. After breakfast we took our horses and swam them across a bit of a canal by means of ropes.

This took us until nearly dinner time and we were then free till 5 p. There are rails around the gardens and niggers push you around on small trucks. I went around the gardens on one and then got a donkey and rode around the place. The gardens are beautiful and I wish we could stay there for a week. Several of us had a bit of a row on the Nile for awhile.

After feeding up the horses one of the fellows said he would shout me my tea at a pub so we went into the village. There was a kind of a circus over there which began at 9 p. We went out for a couple of hours and then went to camp. Had a bit of breakfast and then left for home again. As it was the same road we had come by it was not interesting. Got into camp about dinnertime and a sleep in the afternoon. A dust storm started at about 10 p. Was in Cairo all the afternoon and evening and wandered round. Met Webb from Saints who is with the A. Got leave in the afternoon to get away from camp for a few hours.

Just wandered about in town and nothing in particular. Left camp today and rode to Cairo to Maadi which we reached at about 2: In the evening went down the town for a feed and then went to a boxing match between a couple of the soldiers. A church service was held in the church and I very much enjoyed the old service. In the afternoon I had a sleep in the garden of one of the hotels. Left Maadi at about 9: In the evening went and had a hot bath, for which I was sadly in need. Had a ride about 4 miles across the desert to the cultivated part so that the horses would have shade. Took us jumping over some stonewalls this morning.

Great reports of the landing of the Australians at the Dardanelles. They did great work. It makes us all feel rotten being left here and all our mates doing the hard work and making history. Why can't we go too? Went into Shores in the evening. Great rumours of large casualties in the Dardanelles. Hundreds of wounded are being brought here.

Went to a fete in aid of the Belgian wounded in the evening in Cairo. It was held in a garden in Opera Square which was beautifully decorated. In the evening went over to see Col. Wrote to them both on returning here. There are 6 or horses there. Busy packing up saddles etc as we are going away without our horses. They say we will get them again some day but I have my doubts. We think we are going up to the Dardanelles to reinforce the infantry but of course we don't know for sure.

Busy packing up saddles etc. Took a flying visit into Cairo to say goodbye to the Shores. This afternoon C B came to see me. M is in a state because he thought your letter was from Algy and wrote a very cool reply. He is at the road now so you had better come over and see him. Of course I went and the Col was as nice as possible and said he would always do what lay in his power for me and apologised for his cold letter which I have not yet received. He said he could not rest until he saw me and explained things so rode over. We have been packing up all day and a camel isn't in it with us.

We have to carry everything of course and have even to take some firewood in our knapsacks as there is no wood where we are going. We expect to reinforce the infantry and will have some hard fighting. Hope I get through alright. We fell in at 8 pm and were issued with rounds of ammunition and were then dismissed. We fell in again at Then we had a march to Zitoun a distance of from 4 to 5 miles where we entrained for Alexandria. Had a pretty good sleep. Reached Alexandria at 10 am. They took our leggings and issued us with puttees.

Managed to get a cup of tea and sandwich at Y. The Queenslanders are on board with us. Our boat is the Dirranha and is a good big one though pretty dirty. We weighed anchor at 7. Had a good sleep. A perfect day, calm and a nice breeze. We have been told that if one of our mates gets wounded to shoot him rather than let him fall into the hands of the Turks as they are mutilating prisoners in terrible ways. Our men are a happy lot and I am sorry for them.

I don't think I'll funk and hope to goodness I'll fight as I should. Have been made a Corporal in place of a man who was too ill to come away. At 5 am we heard the guns and soon after came to Kum Kale. The battle ships were firing. We went up further and anchored for the night. The sound of the guns and rifles was awful. First thing in the morning we disembarked.

We were supposed to land under fire of a concealed gun but fortunately it did not fire.

It is marvellous that out boys ever took the place. There is a small beach then steep hills and valleys. Shells etc were bursting over our heads into the sea. About 3 pm we moved up close behind the firing line. Had to sleep in dugouts or in whatever shelter we could. I had a fairly good sleep during the night but the row was terrible. We expect to go into the trenches any minute now. Only hope I come through. The snipers are deadly as they are crack shots and creep right around our lines and shoot our men. Some of our chaps went into the trenches about midday. I am left for tomorrow's lot.

The boys we have relieved are magnificent. No other word for it. So plucky and cheerful. This afternoon I have been busy enlarging a bit of a dugout to sleep in tonight. A sergeant and I made some stew out of bully beef and biscuits.

It was a good change. It's wonderful how cheerful we all are as with the glasses we can see numbers of our poor fellows lying dead and no one can get to them to bury them. It is nearly sundown and I am going to turn in directly. We all stand to arms from 4 am until daylight. I turned in again then slept till about 8 am. Nothing doing all day but slept in my dugout but it is now 3. The shriek of shells and the banging of bullets nearly deafens one at times. Have been in the trenches for about an hour. They appear pretty safe.

We fire very little as there is no possible of aiming.

April Grove, a Street at War Series

Night time they say is worse for we have bombs etc chucked at us. With the periscope we can see out of our trenches and see the Turks rifles coming up over theirs and firing at us. It was like hell let lose in the night. From 2 am to 4 am we had rapid firing nearly all the time. I must have fired about rounds. Sleeping nearly all day. Am just going up into the trenches again. I must admit that I wish it were all over and I could get safely away.

War is not what it's cracked up to be and no one can imagine what it's like unless they have experienced it. Fairly quiet during the night but it is an awful strain on a man in the trenches especially at night when there is nothing to be seen and when for all we know the Turks are creeping on us. Nothing startling all day. Relieved at 4pm and went down to my dugout. Had a bit or tea and turned in.

Had a good breakfast at about 5. Fried some bacon and potatoes and it was good! They were shelling the valley with lyddite this morning. One shell burst about yards from me and a jagged piece about 6 inches long fell within 6 feet of me. The fellows are all wonderful brave though and go about as though there were no danger at all. I hate it all and admit will be jolly glad when I can get away again. Have to go up into the trenches again at 4 pm. It is as safe there as anywhere though. They have caught 3 fellows shortening the fuses in our shrapnel shells so that they have been bursting in our trenches instead of the enemy.

They promptly shot the brutes. The night has been terrible. They expected the Turks to make an attack on us at about 3 am and sure enough at about 3. We repulsed them alright but lost some good lives in doing so and other good men wounded. It is not 11 am and we are still in the trenches and have had no breakfast yet. I think they are going to give us a charge at the Turk trenches soon but hope not as I reckon it is sure murder to ask men to charge in the teeth of machine guns etc.

I think it and admit it its terrible to sit here in the trenches knowing any minute may be one's last. It appears to me nothing more than a death trap here and unless one gets away wounded he will be buried here. Well we had no charge, relieved about 4 pm. A lot of my mates were killed during the attack. We have moved down the valley but have to run everywhere as the snipers are deadly. In the first half hour we were down they got 2 or 3 more of our chaps. We slept in some support trenches for the night. Have been lying in my dugout all day. At about 6pm not a shot was fired and some of the men in our trenches were cheering.

Upon looking up at the trenches there were dozens of Turks walking around with what appears to be Red Cross flags. They are walking about up there but we have not heard what the game is. It strikes me it is only a ruse to examine our positions as it is nearly dusk. They should have kept them down until morning. Shells and bullets everywhere. The shells shriek horribly as they go overhead.

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It appears that the spell was to get the Turks to bury their dead. We shifted up nearer the trenches in case of attack. Have been in my dugout sleeping. It is really awful to see them bringing down the dead and as we run up the valley dodging the snipers there are often 20 or 30 dead. We have been told that when the Turks attacked us the other morning they had 32, men, of whom were picked men from somewhere near Constantinople. They lost terribly heavily. We have been shelling them pretty heavily today but they have kept fairly quiet. I hope it doesn't mean they will give us hell tomorrow, but suppose it will.

Lilian Harry

Sent a letter home today. Slept in a support trench for the night. Got back to my dugout about 5 am. A poor chap I knew very well was struck in the head by an explosive bullet in the dugout next to mine. He was eating a biscuit. The poor chap of course has no chance of living. I am going up in a few minutes to do a bit of sapping. It rained a bit during the morning and everything is now very muddy. Quiet all night and day. I went down to the beach about a mile away and had a good wash in the sea.

I guess I needed it. A mail arrived this afternoon, only papers from England though and a letter from Stevens and one from Jeanette. Hope to get the home letter tomorrow. Have to go up in the trenches sapping for 4 hours at Did not go sapping after all so had a pretty good sleep. Wish it could go on. Went up to the trenches and found Jerry. He has been mentioned in despatches and is now a Lieutenant. I went and had a look over the trenches and saw our men and Turks collecting and burying the dead. Some awful sights were to be witnessed and the wickedness of war is brought home very forcefully on an occasion such as this.

When I went to gather up my blankets this morning I found a Turkish bullet on them. Obviously lobbed there during the night. Our chaps were exchanging coins etc with the Turks today. It has been raining at times. Hostilities were resumed about 4. Jerry had the pudding after 4 days hard fighting and says it was grand. Of course our tucker is plain here. Bully beef, bacon, jam, vegetables and biscuits, no bread but we are doing well. Just going to turn in for the night unless called up on an alarm.

We had to sleep with our equipment on but things were pretty quiet. Nothing doing all day, very quiet. Secrets In Burracombe Item Condition: The war has just ended. Used - Very Good. Three Little Ships by Harry, Lilian. Goodbye Sweetheart by Lilian Harry Paperback, Good Book Bundle, Orion. A Child in Burracombe: Publication Year see all. Please provide a valid price range.

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