Letters from Robert James Henderson, January - June 1916 - Part 6

4
into Mr Henley. Had a long
talk to him and a great
fly around Alexs it is a
great place situated right
on the water and very
pretty I like it much better
than Cairo & bye the bye tell
Jane I sent her a belt
buckle from there which I 
hope she receives all right
We arrived back at the 
Hotel at 2 am on Tuesday
morning and caught the 9 o clock
train to Cairo the same day
reaching there at noon then 
went on to the Continental
Hotel where I met the rest
of the Henley family I was
jolly glad to see them all
they are having the time of
their life the girls enjoying

5
everything immensely Had
quite a good evening in
Cairo & left there 7 am
Wednesday morning arriving here
about 5 o'clock the same
day. Tell Mick I have now
altered my allotment to 6/-
per day which should go into
my a/c NSW Annandale You
might also let Mr Donoghue
of the Electric Light Coy. know
that I have received a 
commission which of course carries
extra pay which I suppose
will cancel any payment
from the office I shall
write to him but he might
not get the letter then might
be inclined to think that
I was coming on the
double Think I mentioned

6
in my last letter that I 
received the ₤35 pounds all
right and it has been most
useful of course I spent it
all but have had the time
of my life and expect I shall
not get any more leave for
some considerable time. Trusting
you are all well at home
and everything oK. shall write
again soon. best love to all.
Bob.
_________

Enclosing Post
card Photos of
Officers class at
the school Zeitoun
_______________

Serapium
30.3.16.

My dear Lorna
Expect you have 
been down to Austimer and
had a bonza time as per
usual. Where we are at present
is OK for swimming about
a mile or so from the canal
we have a swimming parade
about every two days it is
simply great the water
beautifully fresh and clean
and if a P & O or Orient
boat is going through the
lads swim out to them
& get cigarettes etc also lots
of good wishes from the
passagers passengers of course
the stipulation is that when

(2)
one of these boats passes
we must all keep under
water. Yesterday afternoon I swam
across to the opposite shore
a viewed the scene from 
there there were about 2000
in the water stretched right
along the bank. and but for
the surf was excatly like
manly or Bondi. being near
the canal is the only redeeming
feature about this place which
seems to be in the middle 
of the desert hundreds of
miles from no where. it is
becoming very dusty and
darned hot so that we
shall all be glad when
we get a move on to
France that is if we
go there which seems likely.

(3).
Am doting on the thought ofof
possibly getting a trip to
England for according to 
reports from fellows that 
have returned they have the
time of their lives there. Have just
completed a course of 3  n infantry
training in the officers class
at the School of Instruction
Zeitoun I did very well
having over 90% with one
paper not corrected will get
the final result later. When
I arrived back at Tel-el-Kebir
found the battalion had just
left on a 40 miles march
to this place of course I was
sorry? so did decided to
have 3 more days off to
allow them to arrive at
their destination and settle down

(4)
In the meantime I cleared
off to Alexandria had a 
ripping fly around so good
in fact that I did not
have time to go to bed.
Met Mr Henley there and had 
a long yarn with him
stayed at the same hotel
& when leaving he loaded
me up with all sorts of things
billies tobacco cigars etc etc.
jolly decent of him especially
as I had 3 other friends
with me still he loaded them
up also Only spent one
day & night in Alex's then
went on to Cairo put up
at the Continental Hotel which
is very swank while there
I ran into Mrs Henley and
the girls it was boska

(5)
meeting them and having a long
talk about everything in general
they are going to write home
to Mum and tell her what
a bad boy I am etc. Stayed
in Cairo one day and night
then picked up the battalion
and having started work again
Last few days have had the
time of my life in Alex
and Cairo spending about
₤50 in the last few days
will leave to you to imagine
what time sort of a time
I have had. Of course being
an officer now 2/Lieut I
have been able to do anything
I liked stay at the swank
hotels stay out all night
etc. no picquets etc to 
worry about. I have left.

(6)
the gun section now and am
attached to A company 13^th
Batt. with Capt Barton as
the company commander which
is great for me knowing him
so well. Leslie Henley is a
captain now very hot stuff is
he not. he is very well &
is 2^nd in command B company
Nana just arrived down yesterday
with the 45^th Batt having
marched from Tel-el-Kebir
a distance of 40 miles he
was OK. & very fit they are
camped about ¼ of a mile
from us he came across to see
me he thought I would
have some mail & I thought
he would have some instead
great was the disappointment
when neither of us had any.

(7)
However there may be something
here for me shall inquire when
they get settled properly in
this spot Plenty of love for
the kid, Jack, & yourself.
& hope this damed war will
soon be over so that a man
will be able to get home &
see you all. again
Love from
Bob.