General News
6 December, 2025
Christmas cuppas from home
On February 11 1916 the Horsham Times reported under the headline ‘Christmas for sick soldiers’.
The following is an extract taken from a soldier’s letter written from Egypt.
The boys in the various hospitals were well treated at Christmas.
When they awakened on Christmas morning, they found on their beds a parcel containing cigarettes, soap, toothpaste etc supplied by the British Red Cross Society.
There was such excitement among the boys when opening up their parcels, just like children with their Christmas stockings.
Those who were able to eat Christmas dinner had a ‘rattling’ one of turkey and pudding.
During the day visitors distributed sweets and cigarettes.
Really, the hospitals are good homes.
The boys in the different camps in Egypt got a Christmas billy.
Some were lucky, as they got money in them.
In some there was as much as £2 or £3.
Those who did not get a billy were served either with a one-pound Swallow and Ariell pudding or a cake in lieu of a billy.
All our boys at the front were to be out of the trenches for Christmas and, with their billies, would have a happy time.
[CROSSHEAD]Billy tradition continues
The following year, on May 4 1917, the Horsham Times published another report headlined ‘A soldier’s billy’.
Mrs Jas Plozza, of Haven, has received the following letter in thanks for a billy forwarded last Christmas.
Sinai Peninsula, January 17 1917.
Dear Mrs Plozza,
We, the undersigned, have much pleasure in dropping you these few lines to thank you and your family for the Christmas billy which arrived today.
It was a real good billy, and I can tell you that we enjoyed all the good things contained therein.
It is very satisfactory and encouraging to know that our good women in Australia are so thoughtful and attentive to our wants, and believe me, all the parcels, billies etc that they take the trouble to send us are warmly appreciated.
We can understand your interest and well wishes for the boys at the front, being the mother of one good lad who has given his life for Australia.
We have seen lots of fine fellows go down for the cause, and we know that it is but the fortune of war and must be and can say that we are all ready to do the same to the last man.
So far, we have been providentially lucky, having been engaged with the Turks on Gallipoli, and for some 12 months out here on the desert, and are still alive to tell the tale.
We belong to the 7th Regiment of Australian Light Horse, so we have not been in France, as all the horsemen were wanted out here in the desert and we have all had almost enough of the sand and heat and would welcome a change.
We expect to meet old Turkey again in a few days.
Once again thanking you all for the billy, we are, yours very sincerely, Trooper, FM Howley, Trooper LJ Parker and Captain A Allen.
With thanks: Sally Bertram, RSL Military History Library. Contact Sally at sj.bertram@hotmail.com or call 0409 351 940.
