W. H. Saunders’ postcard sent from Lithgow to his mother (advising he was sending his port home with his washing)
I recently received a copy of this wonderful postcard that William Hilton Saunders, who was one of the Wongarbon Coo-ees, sent home to his mother Mrs E. J. Saunders at Wongarbon, while the Coo-ees were at Lithgow.
Postcard sent by W. H. Saunders to his mother, courtesy of Mrs K. Edmonds
Back of postcard sent by W. H. Saunders to his mother, courtesy of Mrs K. Edmonds
His grand-daughter has assisted me to transcribe the handwriting on the back of the postcard as follows:
‘Dear Mother
I am sending my port home to-day with a bit of washing & take all the trousers out & only send the pair of grey ones back. There is some grass in a piece of paper that I got out of the church yard at Wang, also keep poetry. We drilled all day yesterday & are leaving today. We might stay a day at Mt Victoria to see the caves.
Had tea with the Lucas girls last night. Lithgow is a very busy place but very smoky & dusty. We camped in the Trades Hall. Have been having all our meals in the military camp here with the other recruits & the grub is pretty rough. Ask Jack Ryan about our flag as we have not received it yet. All the boys are doing well hoping you’re the same also all the other folk.
Fondest love from your fond son Hilton.
[Written across the top left hand corner]
Will write & tell you where to send my port. We were all issued with Dungarees & white hats yesterday. We all look comical’.
The Coo-ees were at Lithgow from Monday 1st November to Wednesday 3rd November 1915. Based on the information W. Hilton Saunders included in the postcard, he wrote it on Wednesday 3rd November (the day the Coo-ees left Lithgow), and the Coo-ees were issued with their blue dungarees and white hats uniforms on Tuesday 2nd November 1915.
1915 Coo-ee March 