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2nd Nov 1915: WW1 Letter - Life on Lemnos Island rest camp
In this letter written by my great grandfather Reginald Trevor (an Australian soldier serving in World War One), he writes to his mother about life at 'Sarpi' on Lemnos Island, a temporary rest camp (pictured) for soldiers returning from the front. Lemnos Island was also the site for The 3rd AGH (Australian General Hospital) which was opened on 8th August 1915.
Another Australian soldier, Lance Corporal Archibald Barwick wrote a diary during his visits to Lemnos Island. As my great grandfather writes in his letters from Lemnos Island, grapes were one of the only fruits available and the island was pretty bleak.
To read excerpts from Barwick's diary click here.
For more information about the ANZACS and Lemnos Island, please visit the 'Gallipoli and the Anzacs' website run by the Australian Government's Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Transcribed letter:
Sarpi Camp
Lemnos
November 2nd, 1915
My dear Mother,
I received your letter dated August 23rd and one dated Sept 2nd but I have not yet got the cable you mention or the parcels. I got one with the birthday cake etc. in it. It was very nice and I fully enjoyed it.
I am going to write to the post office about the other parcels, I don't know whether I will get any satisfaction or not. You know a private soldier has not got any rights in the army and if they say there are not any parcels for me, well there aren't any as far as I am concerned.
Tell Harold I cannot get him any stamps of this country, I have tried often enough but I cannot make myself understood, not being able to speak Greek. I may be able to get him some Turkish ones.
We have been having a good spell here but I suppose we will be going back to the Peninsular soon. We had some sports here the other day and a concert afterwards, the performance was pretty poor.
It is getting pretty cold now, I believe it will be a lot worse later on, it must be pretty bleak over on the Peninsular. If you let me know how many parcels you sent I will know what to expect. I will have to close now.
With best love to all at home. I remain your loving son,
Trevor.
For easier navigation I have listed each letter in chronological order:
- Rediscovering my great grandfather, Reginald Trevor: Letters home from World War 1
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Background Information about my great grandfather - Reginald Trevor - a soldier in World War 1
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18th October 1914: World War 1 letter - Mother I have enlisted for war
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23rd October 1914: - Preparing to Embark - World War One
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22nd February 1915: We have embarked - World War One letter
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20th August 1915: Letter from Cairo - World War One
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5th October 1915: Trench Rats! World War One letter
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2nd Nov 1915: WW1 Letter - Life on Lemnos Island rest camp (current page)
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Christmas Day 1915: WW1 letter - Life in the Gallipoli Trenches
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World War 1 Field Service Postcards from the front
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1916: World War 1 letter - Belgian refugees' suffering, experiences in Egypt and France
- 3rd Dec 1916: WW1 Letter: Life in Perham Downs camp - England
- 18th April 1917: WW1 Letter: Stretcher bearers, ships and shell shock
- 14th Oct 1917: WW1 letter: The tedium of 'home service' in England
- 22 Oct 1917: Wounded in the Battle of Pozières - the Somme: WW1 Letter home
For background information about Reginald Trevor, please click here.