Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

I am afraid
the scraps of letters you
will have been getting
lately from me will not
have been very satisfactory
to you, and I am hoping
that now that I am on
my way back to the
Dardanelles & that after
I arrive there I shall be
able to write better letters.

I don't know what
is wrong, but ever since
I got news of that last

slathering up of the
Brigade, nothing has
seemed the same, nothing
natural. At present I
cannot think, act feel or
do anything the same as
before. You mustn’t mind
dear, it will adjust itself
in time.

We are reorganising the
Brigade at Mudros , with
the 5, 6 & 7 th reinforcements,
they are not bad, but
it will never be the
same again. I don't
feel that I shall be able
to take the same interest
in a fresh lot of men,

who haven't the training
or the sympathy that
comes from long association.

A corporal of mine, named
McKenzie , went back to
N.Z. New Zealand the other day & I
gave him a note for you.
I thought you might
like to have a yarn with
him. I hope you are
there when he arrives, he
may get there before this
letter. He is a very decent
fellow.

I had to spend a
week in Alexandria
waiting for this boat. I
do hate that city, yet

most people like it
better than Cairo , why
I cannot understand.
The only thing that I can
see in its favour are some
very beautiful gardens.

Had a letter from M rs
Finch , M rs Hay , & a pair
of socks and a letter from
Lorna the other day.
Your letters have been
arriving very irregularly,
owing principally to my
various wanderings since
I left the Peninsula - now
I am back again doubtless
things will begin to come
again regularly.

I saw old Otway in Cairo ,
& look him to the Zoo, he
is just the same. He is
in charge of the X Ray
department at the Abbassia
Hospital and yet only has
the rank & pay of a private.
It does seem absurd doesn't
it.

I made inquiries about
the Egyptian Army , but I
am afraid I must give it
up as nearly all the work
is in the Soudan & white
women & children cannot
live there.

You will all be glad
to know that Pinkie did

splendid work out here,
and the men who came
through all say the same
thing, that he was mag-
nificent the night he
died.

I have been trying
to write a fool letter to
M rs Finch but I couldn't
last long and finished
rather abruptly I am afraid.

Very glad to hear you
reduced your handicap,
perhaps you will have
better luck now with your
golf.

I wouldn't worry about
coming over here, you could
do no earthly good & couldn't

get further than Egypt .
You are much better where
you are until things are
settled and until after I
have been to England &
seen what the matter is
there.

We are in for a winter
campaign in the Dardanelles ,
I am almost sure, but
it can't be any worse
than the summer ones
have been. Don't you worry
your old head about me,
I shall kick along some-
how & we'll get together
again someday & some
how never fear - probably

a little more battered,
mentally, morally & physically
but some of the husk will
remain.

Thank Helen for her
printed letter, tell her I
enjoyed it very much &
hope she will send some
more. If your camera is
working try & get a picture
of her e for me.

Goodbye for the moment
dearest. These are dark
days but the blacker the
darkness the sooner the
dawn. God bless you both
Roy .