Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

Your letter of 16
Oct October from Rollesby arrived yesterday,
also one from M rs Hamilton , she
seems very grateful for the photograph
of Cyril's grave.

I am sorry to hear "your
soldier" was killed. I would suggest
that you do not write to any more,
as I assure you the majority of letters
of that description received here are
not at all appreciated. Naturally
there are a few who are grateful, but
the majority see in it a cause for
ridicule.

I am afraid there are a great
many Jimmy Grant s in the
world at present. I wouldn't
allow their attitude to annoy you
if I were you, and I daresay so
far as Lorna was concerned she was
more or less forced into that marriage -
I would rather think that than
say I would have nothing more
to do with either of them.

Nicholls I think has gone to
France , so literally speaking I expect
my cake is dough. Malesh.

I notice you are still just as
impetuous as ever in judging and
rushing to extremes. Steady a little
please, over this Club episode and your

brother-in-law. This man, who is
supposed at least to be a law abiding
citizen, or to have sufficient sense to
help uphold them, deliberately, without
any justification, goes out for his own
pleasure to defy these laws, and calls
it a lark. Then howls because of the
penalty. Consider the example to those
less fortunate in education etc. I
think the whole affair is very
discreditable, and that the Club
Committee acted perfectly right in the
matter. You blame indiscriminately
certain members, but the resolution
could only have been passed by a
majority in committee, and if my
memory is correct there are nine or
ten on the executive. As for writing to the Club to reconsider their decision -
has the man no backbone, or is he
entirely under petticoat government.
I should think the best thing her
could do would be to enlist. Try &
take an unbiased view my dear, and
I think you will see reason in
what I say. So far as being done
with the Rolleston 's, I would suggest
that you don't apply everything quite
so personally. It is high time you
came under my wing again, and
disciplined your thoughts a little.

Thank you for your birthday
wishes, it has nearly arrived. I
expect we shall take EL ARISH , some-
time very soon. It is difficult y to
realise that it is a year within

a few days since the Evacuation.

At present I am at a place
called ARNUSSI , on my own again
with the Squadron.

Got two prisoners yesterday, one
was a Persian engineer, who had been
employed by the Turkish government,
and the other a Turkish soldier.
They were full of information, (the
Persian could talk French) probably
mostly lies.

Blackmore is very fit again,
and goes fairly well when he is
with other horses, but by himself
he is all over the country.

I am enclosing Helen , a few
more stamps, including one Turkish
one, which I got from the prisoner.

Have just read a book! A very
rare thing nowadays - called
"It happened in Egypt " by C.N. & A
Williamson . It is very amusing,
most of it very true to Egyptian
life, and I think you would like
it.

We are moderately comfortable
now in the desert. We have a
private camel (a capture) which we
take with us and call Algernon.
He carries a little extra gear and
provisions, which contribute materially
to our well being. Algernon is
rather a character, and is really
only a baby (18 months) - he lives on

the forage heap, and only stops
eating to snarl and vice versa.
He protests vigorously about every-
body and everything, it has become
a habit with him. I don't
think he really means it.

Did I tell you we have
young Hinson with us as signalling
officer, he is a nice boy.

I lost the old Bedouin flintlock
I had, which is a pity - as it
was rather a good specimen.

There is an excellent picture
of the Brigade in the Press of Oct October
11 th , have you seen it. You will
find me a little to the left of the

picture, in front of the 8 th , which is
in the centre of the Canterbury Reg t , right
arm hanging down. Can you pick it.

Do you like centipedes? Caught
one in my blankets the other night -
6 inches long er , 1/4 inch broad, legs nearly
half an inch long, and two long red
nippers on his tail. Not the sort of
bedmate I choose as a rule.

Perhaps next letter will be
after the capture, I can see a lot
of hard riding & work ahead of us.

Take care of yourselves, mes
enfants, all my love, Roy