Gippsland Mercury (Sale, Vic. : 1871 - 1872; 1874 - 1886; 1888 -1894; 1914 - 1918), Friday 24 December 1915, page 3


SOLDIERS' LETTERS. Pte. Fred Ware, 21st Battalion, writes to his mother at Sale:--- " I have been at the front nearly two months now. When we were coming over we were torpedoed about 30 miles from Mudros Island. The boat looked as if she was going to sink at first. There were two torpedoes fired, but only one hit; one, it is said, missing the stern by only a few feet. As it was, the ves-sel was drawing 38ft. in front and 20ft. in the stern. When they were lowering the boats I fell into the water, and I had a good swim, but am sorry to say some of the boys got drowned. I was picked up by a French destroyer, which took us to Lemnos. We stopped there a few days, to get fixed up, and then we proceeded to the front. We landed on the night of 6th or 7th September. These hills are very steep all right. In some parts they are impossible to climb, and it makes one wonder how the boys of the first brigade drove the Turks back. There are small bushes growing here on the hills. They grow about four feet high. I have been working down on the beach for the first month or so, doing pick and shovel work and unloading barges. I have had some close calls from shrap-nel; but we can hear it coming, and it gives us a chance to get to cover. I have not seen anybody hit with it yet; but, of course, there have been a good many hit. When we landed over here it was fairly hot, buit now it is getting rather cold. I think that it will be rather a severe winter."