Just a line
with the photos. Had
them taken at Alexandria .
Hope you like them.

We are still at
Zietoun Zeitoun & likely to be here
for a bit yet I think.

All the infantry &
Australians have gone.

Will catch the mail
with a letter

Much love ,
Roy .

There is a "khamseen"
blowing and I am sure there is
nothing else quite like it anywhere.
Imagine to yourself a temperature
of 120°, a strong wind blowing &
clouds of sand pervading through
everything. It is impossible to get
cool, it is impossible to keep away
from the sand. The horses are
beginning to suffer from it, as each
time a khamseen blows now it
gets hotter. Egyptian Army standing
orders say that all field training is
to be completed by 20th March & men
in barracks & horses stabled - yet
here we are still doing a certain
amount of field training, living in
tends and horses still on lines. How
much longer it is going to last we
don't know. Every day the sick

parade gets larger, men down with
'Gyppy tummies' or sunstroke or some
similar ailment. The only thing that
has been done is an issue of helmets
which are very comfortable, also we
may wear khaki drill at our own
expense.

The flies are something awful,
they are everywhere, fly papers have
no effect on their numbers.

The only cool place is Shepheards
Hotel and it is really lovely there,
but alas one cannot go often.

I am sorry there is so much
irregularity about the mails, it
is the same this end, letters arrive
at all odd times. I suppose things
must be very congested. Please don't
send any more "Weekly Press", Gwen
sends it regularly to Pinkie & we
invariably get the same copies at
the same time. All other papers are
very welcome.

Two parcels arrived from you

this week, one containing biscuits
& raisins & things & the other a plum
pudding. Thank you very much
indeed dear, but please don't spend
any more money on me until we
get away from here to the trenches
or somewhere. I shall probably
need things afterwards but here we
live like fighting cocks.

Please don't start worrying
about me getting mixed up with
any women here (although there
are 43,000 ladies of pleasure, native
& European in & around Cairo ). I do
not think there is the least likeli-
hood of it. I have been here 5
months now and so far have
not found it necessary to exercise
any severe restraint on myself.
You must remember that those sort
of things are viewed here in a very
different light to either N.Z . or Eng-
land . Here it is an accepted fact
& noone takes any notice of it. Let

us look the thing squarely in the face,
I don't want to be a hypocrite & say to
you here that it is impossible for me
to do such a thing, because you
unfortunately know my nature & so do
I. I can only say to you that so
far I have not, and am not likely
to in the future. The climate is
beginning to get very trying, but
naturally I shall try & play the game
to the end. I would rather tell you
exactly how things are than hold up
my hands in horror at the idea that
you should think such a thing of me.
You seem to be rather frightened about
disease, but that is the last thing
you need to worry about with me. I
have too much self respect to take
any chances in that way.

Thank heaven I have a wife
I can talk things over with, and who
will read these lines with an under-
standing impossible to most women.
Don't worry dear, I will do my best,
and If at any time I do flop with

a 'crash', you will know perfectly
well it is through no lack of loyalty
to you.

I was invited to a most
delightful dinner party at Shepheard's
the other night. The Perrott's the
lawyer people gave it, and I did
enjoy it. There were 12 altogether,
all big bigs & their wives etc except
me who was the only military bird
there. The table was one of the
prettiest I have ever seen. It was
round & the centre piece was also
round & composed of asparagus
fern with roses stuck all over
it and different coloured electric
lights underneath. The effect was
charming & that combined with a
good orchestra, and excellent dinner,
iced champagne cup (they know how
to make it here) & charming men &
women gave me the most delightful
eveing I have spent in Egypt . Noone
dines early here & we commenced

at 8.30 & finished the evening
somewhere about 1, I got home about
2 & although I had to be up at
3 for brigade manoeuvres, I was
not a bit tired & was as fit as a
fiddle. I have several invitations
to go & see people, but it is very hard
to get the time.

The infantry portion of the show
has landed at Enos , which doubtless
you already know, also I have heard
privately that 500 wounded have
returned to Alexandria so perhaps our
turn will come soon. Andrews
has gone to my sorrow with his mules
& divisional train boy. Lampen is
coming with our divisional train.

Heard a good yarn the other
day:-
June 1917 . After the war. Kitchener
waking from a long sleep. "Great Scott,
and I forgot all about the Australian &

New Zealand cavalry in Egypt !

I hope you like the photographs.
they are only cheap ones. I had
then taken during my spree in
Alexandria . I am sending some
others next mail illustrating some
of our various doings.

Thanks for the cutting about
Mitchell , little blighter. He stood
for the Boro' Council Borough Council not so long ago
you will remember. I showed it
to West who was highly amused.

Old Wain is laid up with a
little sunstroke, Barker is in the
hospital with boils, Dailey is laid
up with a bruised shinbone, through
a cricket ball. Pinkie & I are
running the show at present.

Flies, fleas, scorpions, tarantulas
& various lizards are beginning to
make their appearance.

We all had our photo taken
the other day with helmets on, & I
will send you a copy when they are

ready.

I met a distant connection of
mine the other day - quite by accident
through hearing each other called Bruce.
Young Stenhouse , he is about the 12th baron
or something. He was in West Africa & was
wounded, went home & came out here with
part of our divisional train, I met him on
the station at 3 o'clock one morning as they
were leaving here. I was Railway Transport
Officer for that night. It was rather funny -
We had a drink. He is only a boy - I had
never seen him before.

I don't think there is any more
news this time, I should like to write
more but the heat is too appalling -
I shall go & have a bath.

Thanks so much for the photo, what a
lanky child Helen is growing, give her a great
big fat hug for me. Dearest girl , do be cheerful
& happy, eight months have passed now, it
surely won't be much longer.

Good bye for the
present sweetheart, kiss me & dear, I love you
darling , my own dear wife .
Roy .