of space for you two to dance. Most of the blokes I know have enlisted, in fact I enlisted today. What about you, Harry?’
Harry leaned forward. ‘Tom, don’t tell your sister. I want to break it to her tonight but I have enlisted and I leave for training camp in two weeks.’
‘Bloody Hell, I won’t say a word.’ Tom said in a hushed tone.
Emma came to the door, Harry looked at her beautiful face, and his heart sank. How was he going to tell her about his imminent departure to join the great force in Europe or Gallipoli?
‘You look beautiful, Emma’
‘Thank you Harry and you look very handsome. They left to catch the tram which, after two changes, would deliver them to the famous Palais.
All night Harry was trying to build up the courage to tell Emma his news but every time he tried he would just clam up. It was not until they were at Emma’s front gate that Harry finally blurted it out, not at all how he had rehearsed it:
‘Emma I have enlisted and will be going to basic training at Broadmeadows in two weeks time.’
‘Harry my love, I have been expecting this news for some time now. You are a brave and courageous man and I am very proud of you.’
‘I am going to miss you Emma, very much and I would be honoured if you would marry me on my return.’ Harry had a tear in his eye.
Emma moved toward Harry and hugged him tight and would not let go for what seemed an eternity.
‘Harry I would be honoured to be your wife.’ ‘There is only one condition Harry my love.’
‘Oh, said Harry surprised and what would that be darling?’ This was the first time he had called her darling.
‘We get engaged before you go off to war.’
‘But what if I don’t come back?’ ‘You will my darling, you must.’
The couple became engaged the next Saturday night witnessed by a few friends and by Emma and Harry’s families. Everybody there was very happy for the couple but also worried for Emma if Harry did not return.
On the following Wednesday the 14th of July, 1915, Harry entered the new Broadmeadows training camp. It was a huge tent city with muddy roads and very basic facilities. So basic were the facilities that many of the new recruits became ill and were hospitalised not a great start to what they thought would be a great adventure.
Family Reunion
Chapter 5
1915 Egypt
Harry endured four months of training and waiting before he got notice that he was to embark on to the troop ship, the SS Ceramic, the largest troop ship in the fleet. It used to be a cruise liner but this was no bloody cruise. After two months of rough weather and high seas and countless games of “two up”, they disembarked at a place Harry had never heard of before: Serapeum in Alexandria, Egypt. Harry had always wanted to see the pyramids but you certainly couldn’t see them from there! There were lots of ancient ruins and Harry and his cobbers did find them intriguing but it was bloody hot and the hawkers would not leave them alone.
After about a week of heat and sand storms they were moved to a new camp at Mena near Cairo. Now Harry and the boys could see the pyramids and the sphinx, something they were all looking forward to when they had been on the “cruise”.
So they became tourists climbing the Great Pyramid and taking camel rides. There were other benefits also; they could go into Cairo, a city like they had never seen before. To be honest, Harry and his mates had only seen Melbourne so Cairo with its people and nightlife was something to behold. They were pretty well behaved but did have a few run-ins with some toffy British officers.
‘Hey Harry.’ yelled his good mate Dave. ‘Come and have a look at this’. Harry came over and looked inside the small café. ‘Have you ever?’
There were several men smoking large water pipes and watching a belly dancer going through her motions, so to speak.
‘Do you wanna go in and give it a burl, mate?’
‘Why not?
Both Dave and Harry took a spot on some big fluffy cushions; the Arab who ran the show introduced himself as Ammon. ‘Would you like some coffee and a Shisha?’
‘What the bloody hell is a Shisha, mate?’ Dave asked.
‘It is a water pipe See everyone has one. You will like it, very relaxing.’
‘Bloody hell mate, I could do with a bit of relaxing with what we have been through lately. ‘It’s not gonna cost us an arm and a leg is it, Ammon?’
‘Excuse me, Sir?’ Ammon was confused. ‘I don’t want your arm or leg, just a pound each’
They both laughed. ‘It’s just an expression we use in Australia meaning expensive’ ‘Oh I see’, said Ammon starting to become impatient ‘Well, would you like a coffee and Shisha?’
‘Yeah why not. You only live once don’t you?’
Ammon departed and came back fifteen minutes later with two very exotic Shishas.
‘I have selected a very fragrant tobacco for you, said Ammon ‘it is mixed with strawberries, apple and grapes. I am sure you will enjoy it. I will bring your coffee shortly so relax and enjoy the dancer and your Shisha.’ ‘If the boys down the footy club could see us now’
Dave broke up laughing and agreed.
As they smoked their special blend and sipped the coffee that Ammon had brought them they really did feel relaxed. The belly dancer was quite pretty but quite chubby; she danced in front of them, shaking all the flesh she could, smiling the whole time.
Harry’s thoughts went back to Emma in Melbourne and how he missed her and could not wait to get back and marry her, have a family and live a happy life. At the same time he was looking forward to the great adventure that lay in front of him.
After about an hour Harry and Dave decided to move on and find somewhere they could have a drink. They found a very rowdy bar full of ANZACs and Tommies. They ordered a couple of beers and started to chat with the other Diggers and a couple of Poms.
Things were going very nicely until a pompous Pommie Captain walked in with a couple of Military Police and closed down the bar for the night. Dave couldn’t help himself.
‘You Pommy bastards are always trying to ruin our fun.’ Dave shouted ‘You can’t play cricket and you can’t play football and you can’t fight either.’
Dave then turned on his heels and bolted out of the bar running down laneways and ducking under awnings with the two policemen giving chase. He finally lost them in the night market. He then tried to find his way back to Mena without being sprung. He sneaked in around midnight and lay down on his stretcher. Harry had been back for nearly two hours.
’Geez mate,
