Mr Scanlan received a letter from M Courtney (dated from Salisbury), a former resident of Broome, in which he states, inter alia : — It is great that all your boys have so far escaped, especially Hugh (since killed. — Ed . ). Whose battalion has had a terribly rough lime both in Gallipoli and France. I hope Jim is back in Broome As my left hand is still of little use to me, I have been marked permanently unfit for active service, and shall in all probability be kept in England for the duration of the war. The work (A.M.C.) I have to do is very light, but is interesting and keeps me busy. I was over in Cork last week, during which two boats were torpedoed outside Queenstown, all lives but three bring lost. One of the crew (named Courtney) swam 25 miles in icy cold water and got ashore only to die of exposure on the beach. There are a few Broome boys here, Cis. Huxtable and ‘ Black ‘ Jack McDonald being the latest arrivals. Bruce McDonald has been here eight months, and Tom Pritchard has just left for France. Tucker is scarce in England, especially potatoes. Dining in a hotel in Cork on a ‘ potatoless ‘ day I was surprised to be served with plenty of potatoes, so asked the waiter the reason and he ‘replied, ‘ Shure we don’t take any notice –‘ thim English regerlashuns over here.’ (Others held over.)Letter from Mick Courtney, published in the North West Echo 4th August 1917