sappeared within sight of the
beach.

As a rule letters for Australia were despatched once weekly and, in
spite of the local distractions, many found ample opportunities for
writing home. A few wrote with an eye to the publication of their
letters in their town Press. When these newspapers were subsequently
received by the Battalion, the scribes came in for a good deal of chaff.
Private E. St. I. Bilston of "C" Company made little essays into
verse--some of the results appearing in the Perth and Kalgoorlie Sunday
papers. At times writing paper was very scarce, and the New Zealand
Divisional Sanitary Officer complained that he was unable to continue
certain necessary issues because the supplies were disappearing into the
mail bags. In November, a case of stationery was received by the
Battalion. This was the result of the kind and thoughtful action of Mrs.
Lohoar of Fremantle, who had arranged a "Stationery Tea" amongst her
friends.

The attention of the men in the firing line was by no means always
centred on the imminence of danger. Except during actual bombardments,
or when on sentry, they had some leisure, which was filled by diversions
of various kinds. Sleep--when possible, letter writing, and card
playing, passed many hours pleasantly away. Those in the reserve areas
found other amusements, in which figured largely the games of "Banker"
and "Two-up," upon which had been placed an official taboo. In the
hollows and gullies groups of men were often noticed, and the observer
would see the faces momentarily turned towards the sky and then towards
the earth again--actions denoting interested eyes following the flight
of the spinning coins. Some men brought considerable sums of money to
their officers for safe custody. A good deal of this the owners
subsequently remitted to their homes.

Again, others found an interest in watching the flocks of wild geese
that passed over during the autumn migrations. The appearance of these
birds whetted the appetites of the "dog-fed" soldiers, but no rifle
bullet seemed to be able to find them. During the first week in December
starlings passed over in flocks of thousands--flying low and following
the line of hill and vale, whilst emitting a curious sound from the
movement of so many wings. In the Deres would be seen an occasional
blackbird and thrush, which were later on joined by the robin. On one
occasion a visitor from the Balkans--an eagle with a very large spread
of wings--h