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Letter - Sapper Alfred Galbraith to Family, Egypt, 28 Dec 1915
Reg. No: ST 41203 1
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- Summary:
- Two page letter from Alfred Galbraith to his family in Melbourne, telling them how he spent Christmas in Egypt. The letter was written at Ismailia Camp, 28 December 1915.
Alfred writes that the men chipped in and bought Turkeys, that the Germans are close, and that there are some Australian and Ghurkha trenches 'to give them a welcome when they do come, they have already made one attack on the canal and a couple of mines have been found in the canal and some unearthed.' The letter was signed 'Soldier Alf'.
Galbraith took photographs of the Christmas celebrations; they were part of his personal effects returned to Galbraith's next-of-kin, his father, in 1917.
Born in Maryborough, Sapper Alfred George Finlay Galbraith was the son of Alfred and Amy C. Galbraith, of W.R. Institute, Flinders Street, Station Buildings, Melbourne. He trained as electrical engineer and enlisted in the Australian Army at the age of 20, in July 1915. His father gave written permission for him to join 'the Military Forces to serve the Empire abroad' (his mother had already died). Galbraith served in the 5th Division Signalling Company, Australian Engineers, AIF, embarking from Melbourne on 23 November 1915 on the 'Ceramic'. He went to Egypt for further training, then was shipped to France, disembarking 27 June 1916 at Marseilles. Less than three weeks later, on 15 July, he received a wound in the thigh and a 'penetrating wound in the neck'. He died the same day at the 8th Australian Field Ambulance. He is buried at 254 Sailly-Sur-La-Lys Canadian Cemetery, France. - Description:
- Two-page letter, hand-written in ink on one side of lined paper, now yellowed. In original envelope with date stamp.
| Discipline: | Technology |
| Dimensions: | 261 mm (Height), 211 mm (Width) |
More information
| Themes this item is part of: | Public Life & Institutions Collection, Sapper Alfred Galbraith, AIF (1895-1916) |
| Primary Classification: | MILITARY HISTORY |
| Secondary Classification: | Personal Effects |
| Tertiary Classification: | correspondence |
| Inscriptions: | Handwritten: Ismilia Camp/ Dec 28th 1915/ Dear Dad & Mother, Sisters & Brother/ I am writing a letter to tell you how we/ spent Christmas day, we all put in a shilling each. NCO put in two shillings/ each with the Major and the Lieut it made [pounds symbol] 3 not counting the shilling that/ each man put in and there were two [crossed out] one turkeys and 20 chickens more like / humming birds soft drinks and a few biscuits... (Extensive text follows.) |
| Author: | Alfred Galbraith, Ismailia, Egypt, 28 Dec 1915 |
| Addressed To: | Mr Alfred Galbraith, Essendon, Victoria, Australia, 28 Dec 1915 |
Themes
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