Letters from Robert James Henderson, January - June 1916 - Part 5

(5)
to go on with. Last
night I was sitting in
the smoking room after
dinner having a yarn with
an English officer and about
10 o'clock 2 officers came
in and sat down with us
one a Scotchman and the
other a Welshman they were
both pretty tight and would
insist on buying drinks all
around about 6 times then
we had talks about the
All Blacks and Welshmen
the Scot. would say that the
Welsh could not play football
etc it was most
enjoyable to me and one
could not help laughing
at the quaint expressions etc
Do not know what time

(6)
they turned in I left
about midnight and went
to bed they were still
going strong then It is
great fun here for me
to see and hear all the
swank some of these fellows
go on with they are simply
great. No mail is allowed
to go out for the next
3 weeks now. So some big
moves must be taking place
shortly now. However expect you
will get these letters some
time and of course I shall
not receive any mail while
I am here but Nana is
looking after same for me
at Tel-el-kebir. We all
expect to get a move on
shortly to France I hope
but of course no one knows.
Trusting every thing is OK lots of love
Boby

Zeiton
20.3.16.
My dear Mum
Have just
completed another week at 
the school and have done
very well scoring 85 out
of 100 for the first written
paper 91 out of 100 for
the second oral exam
in musketry and scoring
a possible 100 in company
drill Just fancy a machine
gunner going out in front
of a company drilling them
so well that the Colonel
gave 100 marks I was
tickled to death that
is the best of having
cheek I suppose We had
a second written paper

yesterday which I did 
not like very much
however my % is over
90 at present so can
afford to drop a little
Tell Father the money
arrived all right and
was glad to get same
I had a little difficulty
in getting same as it
arrived in two instalments
however I fixed the matter
up. Had a sweet letter
from Millie Henley from
Alexandria yesterday she
was passing through
Cairo on the way to
Luxor she invited me
to come up to the
Continental Hotel & have
dinner but I refused

on account of too much
work to be done one
cannot afford to miss
one night here and do
well for a similar
reason I have not
yet looked up any of
the nurses getting quite
good in my old age.
What think you.
Had a good afternoon
in Cairo yesterday and
a splendid dinner at
night I also weighed
myself and went
11st - 6 lbs so you see,
this country is agreeing
with me We had a
tremendous rain. storm
and every one got
washed out of their
huts every thing was in 

an awful mess blankets
clothes etc colapsig however
it did not matter much
as few very few of us got
home before 2 o'clock in
the morning and did not
mind whether we got any
sleep or not. I am going
out all day to day 
up the Nile with an
English chap I met
here and have become
quite good pals with he is
taking me for a surprise
trip so do not know
any thing about it but
expect to have a real
good time We are just
leaving now so will have to
close to post this in
Cairo lots of love to all
from Boby.

20/3/16 

Serapeum
30.3.16
My dear Mum
Once more on the
desert about 100 miles from
no-where and the weather
becoming as hot as the
devil do not expect to be 
here very much longer perhaps
3 weeks or a month then
we all hope on to France
Have finished up at the
school but do not know
the final results up till
last Saturday morning I had
when we had the last
paper I had a total % of
92 which was not too
bad for me certificate with
final result will come through
later. I cabled on Saturday 

(2) 
that my commission had
come through from the
16^th March so that I am
now one of three beastly
officers 2/Lieut and have
started work again with the
battalion being attached to
A Company 13th Batt with Captain
Barton in command of same
it is great having people
you know well like that
Expect you have heard
that Leslie Henley is now
a Captain quite hot stuff
Len came up to see me
last night having just
completed a 40 mile march
to this spot where all the
battalions marched to from
Tel-el-Kebir he was very
fit and OK but had not

(3)
received any letters for the
last 3 weeks or so and
of course I have had none
either. There may be some
here for me but everything
is upside down at present
so have not inquired yet.
After leaving the school I
had a great fly around until
Wednesday left Cairo at 11 o'clock
last Sunday for Tel-el-Kebir
to pick up the battalion on
arriving there they had left
early that morning on the
march. so decided I would
not chase them on same
so left that night for
Alexandria arriving there at
5.20 am Monday morning
went to a swank hotel the
Regina Palace where I ran