Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

Thank you very much
for a parcel I received, which I think
Kimbley must have brought out as it had
his name on it. The pipe was very
welcome. Please do not send me
anything else, it is not necessary now
that I can get almost anything I want,
and am no longer as you term it "in
the front line".

I really must ask you to be
a little more temperate in the criticisms &
expressions you have lately been using in
your letters. You seem to make a personal
grievance of the fact that members of the
original N.Z. New Zealand Exped y Expeditionary Force were not at once
sent home on completion of 3 years war.
Why should they be? Why should they be
singled out for special treatment? Everything

that can be done is being done. You are
somewhat hasty and injust when you attribute
the Cabinet's refusal to a lack of brains. Your
real reason is of course a selfish one, and is
merely on my account. Had leave been
granted (it could not have been ordered), you know
I should not have taken it. Without very
urgent reasons I consider that no man and
least of all officers should contemplate a pleasure
trip of such long duration at the present time.

Just one more thing - your last letter
of several sheets contains nothing but an account
of some dispute about allocation of work at
the your Red Cross rooms, and some argument
you had with Fraser in which you began
'Can I speak to you.' Please be a little more
dignified, and remember that in dealing with
those sort of people you order you don't entreat.

I am very sorry indeed to have
to write to you like this, but you seem to
be rapidly losing all sense of proportion, and
slowly but surely slipping down to that hopeless
level of gossips and scandalmongers, not even
tempered by a pleasant tongue.

I want you to read this letter at
least twice, but not when the first resent-
ment is burning within you. Put it away
& bring it out tomorrow or a few days hence,
then look upon it as an effort to help you,
and read it in that spirit. I venture
to think that when you come to weigh up
things carefully you will see it in quite
a different light. Pull up, you still
have time, although I admit the time is
getting short.

We moved yesterady to a new
place, at least it is not new to me as
it is where the 21 st Corps where were . It is
really a charming spot, but I have already
described it in a previous letter.

I think you will have to give
up all hope of 'Blackmore', I gave him
up long ago. He was a very strong animal,
but beyond that he had not much to
recommend him, he was very rough.
'Robin' is a much better horse, and now

I have another called "Wully" an English
horse, a chestnut. I have not yet
ridden him, but am taking him out in
a day or two.

There is no news for the moment,
my old division is moving up here shortly,
so I shall probably go and see the regiment
one day.

I hope to go down to Luxor for a
few days about the first week in February.
It is not too hot then. It is a place I
have always intended to visit, but so far
have never had an opportunity.

Had a letter from Helen the other
day from the Convent , she seems very bright
and happy.

Good bye dear for just now, take care
of yourself and be happy.

Much love
Roy