Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

I am beginning to be
afraid that my prophecies concerning our
departure for Europe early in March are not
going to be fulfilled. It is now a matter
of equipment, they cannot get the necessary
clothing, saddlery etc for the men. They talk
in New Zealand about their splendidly equipped
force, but let me assure you of all the
poverty stricken Brigades the Mounted Rifles
are about the limit and if it is any
satisfaction to the people of South Canterbury,
the South Canterbury Squadron is one of the
worst equipped. So far as I can gather we
are the only squadron in the Brigade i.e.
3 Regiments of 3 Squadrons each, in which the
officers did not receive a grant from their
various patriotic committees. I will give
you a rough idea of what it has cost me
for equipment since I have been in Egypt ,
exclusive of what I had to buy in New Zealand .
Pair boots 35/- Puttees & Sundries say 40/-
2 Pairs Riding Bches 110/- Total 286/- = £14,5/-
Pusimatic Compass 100/-

This total does not include a revolver which
will cost £4/5, and if we stay here much
longer I shall be obliged to get 2 new light
summer uniforms & corresponding under-
clothing. Don't think I am grumbling,
because I don't mind it in the least, and
I have plenty of money to get everything I
want, but I should just like to get some
of those smug faced local politicians out
here & show them how ignorant they are
generally. Having got that off my chest
and it is the only growl I have, not
for myself, but for the men, for when I
think of all the money that was collected
in Timaru for equipment, and how it
has been frittered away it is worth a
little grumble occasionally. I will go
on to something more pleasant.

We went out digging trenches in
the dark the other night and quite amused
ourselves. This week there is a contemplated
5 days trek from here to a place called
Zag-a-zig about 40 miles from here. You
may be able to find it on the maps. It
should be quite a good expedition. The
Brigadier says we will take as much

ammunition as possible & get as near to the
Turks as we can, but alas the Turks are
many miles away at present.

The weather is superb, no rain yet,
and cloudless sunny days & cool starlit
nights. It is however gradually getting
warmer, and I am told that next month
the dust storms begin.

Andrews is well and is enjoying
himself in sundry ways. He expresses himself
thus: "If this is war, to h-l with peace" -
which is quite expressive of the present situation.

Oh: by the way, you know the Biblical
story of Potiphar 's wife & Joseph ; well it appears
the other day they discovered the mummy
of Potiphar 's wife, and you must know that
as a rule all mummies have a papyrus or
some record or something rolled up in their
hands, well, on opening the hand of Potiphar's
wife instead of finding the usual scroll, they
were surprised to find the tail of a shirt
with J marked on it.!!

I am gradually collecting some small
articles of Egyptian make which I will send
you in a box before we leave here. They are
perforce not valuable but they are Egyptian or
Arabian. The cat I have not yet been

able to secure, but I am living in hopes.
You shall have something mummified
anyway.

I have made the aquaintance
of a Grecian family here named Okonomoupolos,
the old bird is the architect for the Egyptian
State Railways, two of his daughters came
out here selling badges for the Belgian Relief
Fund, I helped them along with French & then
they brought their father out. I spent the
evening at their flat last week. One commences
about 10 o'clock & songs & dancing go on till
about two o'clock in the morning. I had a
very pleasant evening. There are some friends
of theirs named Sakkakicia, Italian Jews
I think, who are also very nice & hospitable.
One meets all nationalities at their flats, all
can speak French but only a few men speak
English at all, the women at the most only
know a few words. Blair , Guthrie & I had
about 10 of them out here for afternoon tea
on Saturday & the cackle of high pitched
voices all talking at once was quite funny.

I am getting a photograph taken of
my 3 horses, I will sent it to you when c it is ready.

Major Wain had a cable the other

day announcing the birth of a son, this
is No 8 of which 2 are boys, giddy old
bird. He has smartened up wonderfully
since he came here.

Do you realise it is a little more

than 6 months since I left Timaru ! I can
hardly believe it, and I must admit that
the time has gone very rapidly. I suppose
poor child it has not gone so quickly for
you. Never mind cheer up another 6 months
may see it all over.

Have just heard that our little trek
is definitely on , we start tomorrow Tuesday
& return on Saturday, it should be very
interesting.

Marchant is going to be Quartermaster
to the Regiment vice Cody , useless & returned
to New Zealand . I debated within myself
whether I should apply for it (I could have
had it) but I thought better not to. It is
the beginning & the end, there is no promotions,
except in very rare cases into the Adjutant
General's Branch or Army Service Corps & I have
no desire to spend my time amongst food
& clothing.

Hay, the silly owl, has been making
a bêtise, which translated means has

committed a foolishness & has lost his Corporal's
stripe in consequence. He will probably get
it back again later on if he behaves himself.
You need not say anything to his family
about it though.

There has been no mail for a fort-
night. I understand the boats failed to
connect in Australia this week. We may
get one today, hope so.

No parcels at all have arrived yet,
goodness knows where they are, suppose they
will turn up sometime.

The next letter I get from you should
I think be in reply to my first from Egypt.

Well dear I must go & gather my
belongings togeter for tomorrow.

Goodbye for a few days my sweetheart
be happy & don't worry, you and Helen
are all I have got and I don't want
anything more.

God bless you both, my dears, hug
Helen for me.
Your affectionate husband
Roy .