Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

I am really beginning
to wonder if I am ever going to get any
more letters from you or any one, except
one or two odd people in England who
write occasionally.

This is indeed "a land
flowing with milk & honey", vineyards,
orange and olive groves on all sides.

Saw a little piece of
Jerusalem from the top of a hill during a
battle the other day, hope to have a much
more intimate view of it soon.

Rode into Jaffa the
day before yesterday, it does not appear to
be a very interesting place, but did not
have time to stay long.

I wish my Biblical
history was a little stronger, I should
then take a far more intelligent interest
in the country than I am able to at present.

The population as a whole

are a villianous looking lot, both Jews
and Moslems, with a sprinkling of Syrians
& Germans. The Germans are strong here
and there are several German colonys colonies . They
have also established schools & orphanages,
& bring the young idea up to think & speak
things German. Consequently a large
portion of the inhabitants are pro-German.

At present the oranges are ripening,
& miles of orange groves with the fruit thick
on the trees is a beautiful sight. These
Jaffa oranges are of course world famous, and
are sold for 3 s or 4 s each in London , while
here you play 2½ for 10!

It is extraordinary how the Jew has
preserved his type, here you see patriarchs with
flowing beards & hooked noses, clad in
flowing robes, and Jewish maidens drawing
water from the wells, with perfect features &
glorious complexions. Everything the same
as it was thousands of years ago.

One rides for miles through lanes
hedged with sweet smelling mimosa.

The villages clustering in the hills,
Jewish settlements, German colonys colonies , and Moslem,
perched on the top of almost inaccessible hills

or dotted about a smiling plain are
charming in the distance, near to there
is a good deal of dirt and squalor.

Am very glad to hear Helen is
so well looked after at the Convent . Tell
me is the child delicate or not, because
such an awful fuss seems to be made
even if she has a slight cold. Please
don't mollycoddle her, and make her
imagine herself always ill.

Your family seem to have suddenly
turned over a new leaf, on top of a letter
from Launce comes one from Graham and
Duncan . I am afraid I am not
very enthusiastic - however we shall see.

I was amused at Francis describing
my last wound as 'left foot ', suppose
he wanted to spare your delicate feelings
in describing the actual spot. That
wound was rather a jest, unfortunately I
could never get a nurse to bandage it,
it was always left to an orderly, and I
feel I was cheated out of some legitimate

amusement. Hope the O.C. Officer Commanding 8 th Squadron
gets his Christmas parcel alright. I think
I shall have to look him up and try
& get some of it. However I don't want
things so much now, and they will be
very glad of them.

Shall be very glad when your
letters begin to come regularly again. I
am curious to know what you think of
my being on the General Staff? I
think I may be able to get N.Z. New Zealand leave
one of these years, but you must see I
cannot immediately rush away from a
new appointment, more especially as the
N.Z. New Zealand people have no authority over me so
long as I am seconded from my regiment,
and hold an English appointment.

Good bye for the present old girl,
I hope Xmas will be a happy one ofr
both you & Helen , will dig up some
little things for you next time I am in
Egypt , but goodness knows when that
will be.

Many kisses to you both old things,
Roy

This raining steadily
& very cold.
R.