CAPTAIN J. J. S. SCOULER.
Signalling Officer, 1915-16.[ToList]
The method of dealing with the sick was as follows: A "sick parade" was held daily at the medical officer's tent at 5.30 a.m. and again at 2.30 p.m. All men feeling unwell attended this parade, were examined, and were prescribed for according to their condition. If their symptoms were those of a complaint likely to lay them up, or render them unfit for duty for several days, they would be "evacuated" to a neighbouring hospital and detained there for treatment. Once a man was evacuated he ceased, for all practical purposes, to be a member of the Battalion and came under the control of the medical administration. If he was quickly cured of his complaint he was sent back to his unit. If, on the other hand, his recovery was retarded, he remained for some time in hospital, or in a convalescent depôt, and, perhaps, finally returned to Australia either for a change or discharge.
Through sickness, transfers, and one or two other causes, the wastage in the Battalion was considerable. This was partly replaced on the 17th August by a first draft from the reinforcements camped at Zeitun. Lieut. J. Quilty brought over 84 and 54, respectively, from the 1st and 2nd Reinforcements. These were also first class men and were quickly absorbed into the companies.
Factors which affect the conduct and character of a soldier on active service are numerous and all weighty. Amongst them may be mentioned his treatment as regards work, food, pay, recreation and amusement, and mails from home. The first two of these have already been referred to and, after reflection, it cannot reasonably be said that whilst in Egypt he received too much of either. Pay very early became a vexed question. Letters from relatives indicated that the distribution of allotment money and separation allowance was being very imperfectly carried out—resulting in much hardship and consequent anxiety. Although this was eventually straightened out, it unsettled many men and bred a spirit of discontent very difficult to allay and eradicate. The pay of the troops themselves was drastically affected by the issue, in mid-August, of an order limiting the drawing to two-fifths of the daily rate. The exact reasons for this restriction were not given, but it is believed that those responsible desired, firstly, to remove the distinction which existed between the British and Australian rates and, secondly, to encourage thrift and retain for the soldier on his discharge a sum, beyond his deferred pay, which could be spent more wisely in Australia and not go to fill the pockets of the Egyptians. To many this restriction was a genuine hardship, whilst others circumvented it by drawing on their private funds by means of the cable service. This was extensively done, and those who had the wherewithal established a system for regularly receiving remittances from the home land. Payments were made in the local currency—the Egyptian pound of 100 piastres being equal to £1 0s. 6¼d. The piastre (sometimes termed "disaster") was worth about 2-1/2d. There was a smaller coin—a millieme—equal to one-tenth of a piastre. English and Australian sovereigns were at first plentiful, but an attempt was made to restrict their circulation, as it was believed that the natives were hoarding them.
Mails arrived from Australia every week or ten days, and were heartily welcomed. Those who received newspapers handed them round for others to read. The Australian proved himself an inveterate letter writer and found much to describe to his relatives and friends. The signallers were rather noted for the amount of work they gave the officer who had to sight their correspondence. They seemed to devote much time to writing and to have a large circle of lady friends. As a rule, the soldier observed the censor's injunctions, and, in doing so, made the work of his officer light. Occasionally a transgression came under notice. In such cases, the letter was either returned to the writer or the offending part struck out. In one instance, the soldier had drawn attention to the harrowing conditions under which he said he was living—working from dawn to dark, with little or no food, and without pay. Questioned as to his reason for this action, he confessed that he was short of money and had intended to so play on the feelings of his friends as to prompt them to send him financial aid.
Censoring letters was a valuable education for an officer. It gave him a deep personal knowledge of the men he commanded and was to lead. It also enabled him to realise that in most situations there were points of view other than his own. He was the better for the knowledge. There were many letters to read. Most had a grave earnest tone running through them. Some were pathetic. Others were humorous and, again, others cleverly descriptive of the passing life and scenes. The trend of thought of some soldiers will be illustrated by the following:—In 1916, whilst assisting to hold the trenches in front of Messines, a member of the Battalion wrote a lengthy and comprehensive criticism of a recent book dealing with the Darwinian theory. About the same time, and from the same place, another member—a brave and sincere man, but a little pharisaical—violated the censorship requirements by criticising the army system generally and his own comrades in particular. His company commander adopted the unusual but effective punishment of reading the letter aloud in the presence of the writer and the fellow members of his platoon. A story is told of a padre of the 5th Brigade who, whilst censoring, discovered that one man had declared his undying devotion to two different girls, and to each had repudiated any allegiance to the other. The censor was so indignant over this act of treachery that he transposed the envelopes of the two letters, before sealing them down.
Of amusements there was no lack. These will be referred to later on. On the whole, therefore, the soldier had little to complain of in the treatment he received, nor did he give the Commanding Officer any cause for anxiety as regards his conduct. Breaches of minor regulations were common enough, but in most cases the offences were venial and such as were likely to be committed by any recruit. Only two cases were remanded for trial by court-martial. Nor were the evils resulting from excessive drinking conspicuously present. Precautions, however, had to be taken to prevent any lowering of the standard which the Battalion was working towards, and in this respect examples had to be made in a few cases where the individual held rank, and in other cases where sickness appeared to be simulated.
One little incident seems to be worth mentioning. A soldier, who had been freely sampling a Reading brew of beer, encountered a certain warrant officer. An exchange of compliments took place, during which the private referred disparagingly to his superior's figure and parentage. On the next day he appeared at "orderly room" and was awarded a brief period of enforced retirement. Declining to walk to the place of detention he was placed on a stretcher, but the stretcher bearers were so inexperienced then that after a journey of about 200 yards he elected to march. On his release, the offender, very contrite and desiring to make the amende honourable, approached the warrant officer and explained that the statement previously made in regard to his figure was entirely without foundation.