Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

My heart goes
out to you in the loss of
poor little Jean . I know
how you will feel it, and I
can assure you it was no
light blow to me. One gets
more or less callous to
suffering and death out
here, but your news coming
on top of the losses we have
recently sustained hit me
hardly. It seems unnecessary

for everyone to suffer
these days, why, one does
not know, and all we can
do is to hope and pray for
a happier era to dawn on
this death strewn planet.
Cheer up dear, don't let these
things get you down, I think
the toll must be nearly taken
now.

You must not shut
yourself up, I want you to
go about and get as much
out of your life as possible, and
I am quite sure Jean would

say the same. It is the
only way to keep going these
times, and if we are true
to the religion we profess we
mustn't grieve too much.

I have written to your
mother as you wished, also
to Duncan . I hope it
will be the end of internal
discussions.

We have been relieved from
the front line by an Australian
Brigade, and are now back
in our old camp at Bir et maler .

Leave is on to Port Said , &
I hope to get a couple of days
sea bathing shortly. I am
not really very fit, and I
think a bathe or two will
do me a lot of good.

There are all kinds of
rumours going about as to a
fresh move, and in some
ways I would not be sur-
prised to see us turned into
lancers, do some training in
that arm and go to France
next year. But it is all
in the air at present. I do

not think there will be much
more for us to do here. Jacko
got a good lesson this time, &
unless things alter very materially
he is not likely to try much
again.

Sorry you didn't win
the Dryden Cup, but you shouldn't
blame the weather & your rain
coat.

I can imagine the splutter
when the chimney caught fire,
were you fined? It is an offence
against bye laws or something
isn't it.

Please don't ask people
who are coming out to bring
things for me. Parcels are a
most awful nuisance to anyone
travelling with a light kit, &
usually get thrown away and
small blame to anyone.

You want to know if I
object to your little excursions?
Why ever should I. I want
you to go out as much as you
can and enjoy yourself as
much as possible. You talk
of a Hopkins in the Defence Office,
have you come across Oakey , he

was out here in the
Engineers, and I saw a good
deal of him one way and
another before he was invalided
back with a smashed arm.

I am sending you a
snap taken the other day on
the place where we drove the
Turk back and quite close to
where Hammond & Blakeney are
buried. I have the film and
will get some better copies
printed when I go to Port Said .
One is for Helen . The horse
I am on is my new one Robin,

he got a bullet through his
near ear at the battle of Katia
on the 5th August , just as I was
mounting.

Helen's head seems to be
taking a long time, why not
have it Xrayed?

As soon as I know what
is going to happen to us, I
can see whether it will
be worth while bringing you
to Egypt or elsewhere.

So long old bird, keep
your pecker up.
Ever yours
Roy .