Our nomadic
condition continues among the
sand, heat & flies. A few days
ago we went out on a stunt
to chase some Turks and struck
some heat. I never felt anything
like it, gusts of hot air blew across
and it was like the opening of
furnace doors - it knocked a lot
of men & horses out. I know
what is is to be thirsty now. I
never knew before. I went out for
about three hours, but a man
came, and for two hours kept
pouring water over my face, head
& body. I was lying under a date
palm, and there was a well

nearby. The water stank, but it
was like nectar. To give you an
idea of the heat, a handkerchief
soaked in water, not wrung out,
& laid over my face was as dry
as a bone inside 5 minutes. Had
a 12 mile ride back to camp in
the evening, got there somehow &
was alright next day. We longed
for the Anzac blizzard, & while
there longed for the heat of Egypt .
Such is human nature.

Have had no letters from
you for ages, two antiquated
Auckland Weeklys turned up
from nowhere the other day, &
a parcel of tobacco & tea tablets
from Harvey , good chap, which
had taken two months to come
from England .

We are going off on another

raid sometime next week which
will take a few days. Hope
we don't strike heat like the last
time.

There is absolutely no news
to write about, although if we
were together no doubt I could
find plenty to talk about.
Somehow one cannot settle
down to write or think in this
weather. I go to bed about
eight o'clock, when not on duty,
& get up at 3.30. a.m.

There is one piece of news
I can give you, which will
doubtless please & possibly cause
you a little amusement - I
have been recommended for more
promotion, this time to major!

I don't know whether it will
come off - it is rather sudden.
I shall have to start an eyeglass
& cultivate a splutter. It is
beginning to look rather as if
that "useless fellow Bruce ", had
at last found soemthing he could
do.

I hear from Blakeney that
Gwen has an infant, please give
her my congratulations.

Will try & write a better
letter next time, old girl.

Love & many humbugs to you
both, my dear, ask Helen to
write soon, tell her there are
lots of sand lizards here.

>Take care of yourselves. Roy .

Continu ed

I was just closing your letter
when one arrived from you
dated 12 March, only 2 1/2 months,
so I shall go ahead & answer
it. By the way, why do you
still address my letters as Lieut?
Anyway you may have to write
'Major' soon!

I shall probably be able
to send you some money to get
the house painted & a decent
bath put in, soon.

If the borer is in the
house the sooner you sell it
the better or you will get nothing
for it, anyway, please yourself,
I don't suppose it will make
much difference.

So you think Andrews & I
are better apart do you! well
your wish is granted, he is in
France & I am here. You
must remember that the last
2 years (it is nearly two years
now) have not been all beer
& skittles, and reactions from
the strain are inevitable. I
think it is quite true what
the reinforcements say, that
the people in N.Z. have not
the faintest idea of what things
are like here. I do not mean
socially so much as knowledge
of war & war conditions. Think
that over & "judge not harshly
where we cannot see". I am
no hypocrite, all my vices have

been perpetrated openly, and I
am quite prepared to pay any
price demanded - one cannot
mix a milk & water existence
with one of blood and steel.

Am sorry you are dis-
appointed I didn't give you
more details of the evacuation,
you know I cannot describe things
on paper, and I think that applies
more particularly when one has
taken part in them - you will
get very interesting accounts from
the newspapers, more of less true,
and I shall doubtless be able
to give you a full description
when I return, there are some
things one never forgets.

Col. Findlay gave me his

photograph the other day - I
am sending it on to you, as I
cannot keep it here, please keep
it carefully for me.

I hear from other that
"The Dream" is a great success,
hope it sells well. Saw a
paragraph in somebody's Herald
about it. How many copies were
there in the first edition?

If you have a spare copy
of my photograph in civilian
clothes would you mind sending
it on to me, there are some
French friends of mine (Sainsaulieu)
in Cairo who want it, and it is
too expensive to get good ones here.

Am trying to send the
Bedouin rifle on to you through

Cooks , but am not sure whether
I will be successful.

If I get my majority I
shall probably get command of
the C.Y.C or 10th Nelson Sqdn officer
C.M.R. Hammond will remain
with the 8th . Promotion in the
field is worth getting.

So long dear girl, be happy
Ever yours
Roy