Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

Things have
been very strenuous lately,
two days after I took over
this new appointment,
operations started again, and
everything hummed.

There was I landed in
a new brigade, in which
I did not know a soul,
and who naturally viewed me with a certain amount
of gloom and suspicion,
more particularly as the man
I succeeded was a very
able person and an Irishman
as well. However everyone
was very good to me, and
my General is a sportman.
An Irishman with nearly
30 years service, a little
spare red faced f man with
an eyeglass. Curiously enough the only man he
knew in N.Z , was Foster Keill 's
brother who was in his
regiment before the war.

My signalling officer and
my intellignece officer also
know some very old friends
of mine in Ireland. It is
curious how small the world is.

I am going to be very
happy here, I think, these
Irish are a cheerful lot, and
all that I have so far met
in the Battalion are a good lot of men. My word, they
can fight too, during the
last few days I have had
opportunities of seeing and
judging them in battle, in
a country something like
that around Queenstown ,
only more steep and rocky.
They climb like cats, and
fight like them too. I am
very glad to be here.

Really I am extraordinarily
lucky to get a job like this
with the little staff training
that I have had. A Brigade Major's job, is looked
upon as one of the best staff
jobs in the Army until one
becomes perhaps a very big
bug. Here I am a mere
child at this game, with
my administrative, intelligence
& signally staff, 4 battalions
one machine gun company,
and a trench mortar battery
to look after, to say nothing
of an 18pr. battery, and various other oddments that get
attached during operations.
I am responsible to noone
but my General, and as every
day he allows me more & more
of a freehand, the responsibility
is omehwat heavy at times
for my inexperience.

Soon I shall have no hair
left at all, although there
are still no signs of grey,
Robin & McGillivray my N.Z. grooms are here with me, as
is also Griffiths my Welsh
servant. I don't think I
could get rid of those two
if I tried. I believe they
fully expect to remain with
me for ever.

My Staff Captain, who
does the administrative work
is a good fellow. A regular
with about 10 years service.

He has been a Staff Captain
for 2 years, an appointment
I jumped altogether.

There seems to be a good lot
about myself in this letter,
but perhaps you won't mind
this time. I miss the
luxury of G.H.Q., electric light
in my tend, and a 5 course
dinner, but I think perhaps
this is better for me, so
long as I do not make
a mess of it all. I am
bound to fail sooner or later.

Good bye old dear,
take care of yourself & be
happy. Love. Roy .