experience the
ordinary soldier came to regard this news as a topic for conversation
only, remaining incredulous and accepting actual facts with the best
grace possible in view of his rapidly developing fatalistic spirit.

The Beach was also the hunting ground of those who sought to improve
their lot. One night a well-known Signaller, a noted hunter with an
eagle eye, observed a case of rum--for the moment unattended. The
situation obviously required action and P----possessed the necessary
initiative. Five seconds later he was being pursued down the Beach.
After successfully losing his pursuers he humped the case to Russell's
Top and opened it before a crowd of thirsty and expectant Signallers--to
find that it was lime juice. In the opinion of the Section this incident
was the one black spot in P----'s long career of usefulness.

Authentic news from the outside world came from two or three different
sources. General Headquarters at Imbros issued a weekly sheet, entitled
the "Peninsula Press," which published notes on the doings on other
fronts and gave alarming accounts of the winter conditions on Gallipoli.
The Navy had, apparently, their own sources of information, for
signallers would often gather items of interest by watching the flashing
of the helios by day or the blinking of the signal lamps by night. Then
there were the mails. In this, as well as in many other respects, the
army treated the soldiers well. Mails came at irregular intervals, but
never more than three weeks elapsed without bringing the ever-welcome
letter and newspaper from Australia. The 28th mail comprised a large
portion of that for the whole brigade. Some of the members would receive
as many as 13 or 14 letters each.

Parcels also came to hand. These contained a great diversity of
articles, ranging from woollen goods to chewing gum and safety pins.

The Battalion Postal Orderly, Private J. H. Mann, was most conscientious
and energetic in his work. He usually installed himself in some dugout
away from the company lines and where he had room to cope with his
thousands of packets. When the Battalion moved, new quarters were
necessary, and Mann was sometimes seen, bared to the waist, working hard
with pick and shovel in the excavation of a new post office. Sometimes
ill fortune befell the mails. Twice during the November storms lighters
containing hundreds of bags were swamped and sunk. One of these was
carrying the outward Christmas mail and di