Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

Got a parcel
from you yesterday with socks,
toothbrush & paste, Keatings
powder, for which my dear
many thanks, those parcels
are the joy of my life when
they arrive particularly when
there is chocolate or pipe
tobacco in them. Chocolate
is hard to get and pipe tobacco
(Diadem) impossible. Also got
an Auckland Weekly but no
letters, have had not letters
for quite a long time now,
suppose some will turn up

some day.

There is nothing
doing here and I do not
think there will be much
doing for some time. I
would not be in the least
surprised if about March
or April we went to France -
that is if our friends the
Turks leave us alone here.

There are all kinds of
rumours in the air that
we are going to form part
of an Australian Cavalry
division, and that a complete
N.Z. division of infantry is to
be formed into which all
superfluous mounted officers
& men who are not quite

up to the standard required
for the cavalry are to be
shunted. If this is true
there will be some weeping
& wailing & gnashing of teeth.

My little flash of luck
in commanding the squadron &
now being second in command
seems to be fast losing its
brilliance and probably in
a week or so I shall sink
again into the semi obscurity
of a troop leader. Some of
the birds who have been having
a good time in England for
months past are on their
way out again, and of course
will take over their old jobs.
It will be a little hard for

me after over three months,
but it can't be helped and I
suppose that some day the
birds will sing again. I am
still waiting for that temporary
promotion to roll along if it
does not come in the next few
days I shall lose it as the
others will be back. "Malesh"
I am a thorough fatalist
now.

Had a swim in the
Suez Canal yesterday, rather
cold but beautifully clear
water.

I think I must have
grown! When I was at
Zeitoun I tried to get into
an old pair of riding breeches

but they wouldn't go near
me, aslo the new tunic I
had made in Chch , and
which I had left behind
sprung many buttons.

Everyone returning from
England speak of the splendid
time they had there, and
what a fuss was made of
them. We seem to have
made somewhat of a name
for ourselves at Anzac . I
believe they are trying very
hard at home to get hold
of colonial officers but divil
a one will Godley let go.
Arthur Rhodes who was one
of my sergeants & has now
got his commision was

offerred a full lieutenancy
in the Grevadier guards with
five years seniority! Rhodes is
now galloper to General Chaytor
our new Brigadier.

I see you are just on the
verge of conscription in N.Z.
about time too. You know
I really think this will
go on for years, nobody is
anywhere nearly beaten yet,
with the exception of the
small fry among the nations.

I've got a new horse, a
dark chestnut mare (no white
feet) called 'Ginger'- a nice
animal, can go all day,
'Chatterbox' is still with me
& very fit- 'Blackmore' I

seldom ride, only when I
am in a bad temper and
want something to wrestle
with. He is the despair of
the squadron, but we keep
him because when every
other house in the Brigade
is dead he will be alive.
He came off that rather
unpleasant trek as if he
had only been on a joy
ride.

I wonder if you have
done anything further with
your nursing schemes. I
hope you have. I hope
you won't have the same
experience as a French lady
I know in Cairo who

offered her services in the French
Red Cross there and after about
a month's correspondence
was told she might come
down & cut bread & butter
if she liked! I expect you
will find it a fairly hard
row to hoe for a start, but
stick to it old girl.

I must go now and
have a look round the houses.
Be good, give Helen my
love and a big humbug. I
should like to be back if
only for a week.

Much love dear ones Roy