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 disappeared 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.