Letters from Robert James Henderson, January - June 1916 - Part 7

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2016.30.2
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Serahcum 30.5.16 Mr Yonaghue Dear Ser From the pemensular you I wrote to you & led I was reverted to know that to the sands when jouning the battalion and up with consequently my pay was dikterecdd pleasure in enformd I have now 5 have received ay you thank commersion as a 2/Lcent dating Mared 1856. and froms 16th course the extra to pay which have sulleed same carries. I consilter I been leeaky and did not deserve to get same however some other officers am now thought otherwise. to A company 13. Rall. attachell
21 the and have gone back Heve fast sible again. infandry completed a 3 weeks the Ledur course at infandy of instruction at Geitorin and work was havd although the I did oery well & ttremuons comse beg is the trouble lot of work that a terrible do got through in a very when However short period. I had 4 days ten fruiched of ey terme and had the Alexandri life sesiting ll a govll Caids having each aly armst in in shot now We are out which same to sure to be right in the middle miles aun, the desirt from any where also the
131 becoming beastly weather io dusty so that and hot we move across the sooner better the to France merely supposition Antienstating that we doe on or fand but every oe here going there hopes so this lace sincerey will be very unples an tte alammen which is Ceeding now starting with a vengence sence coming away from the Island after Aeons evacnation from the remensular we have been camded at Mouscar, & tet. et. Semarha Reber where the training has been regutan and whill are all feel ready so that for another so as and fit thing. Trusting you the real
141 fit and well and wuld are rememenber me to you kindlly the company also at ald have the pleasure to hoping you again in the of seeig aear preture men yours lend 7 Henller Robert
Leraperi 3.4. 16 Yea Wick once again settled Have camp life in this fow to dusty desert with s Aot of doments ament incresing aa al However Hlet fhee plenstyg of good surmng we get the canal which is most an dnforable the water as beautful and very cally then fresh sheps passing up and down interesting thres most maker ta there appears to be twem wa so bt aand contec he of any where + is as least depth of water viry certificate so J. Received yesterday from the school
127 9270 gained I fined and 8 exune which tolel with for me too dusty whs not Am attached to A and of N02 Plattoh in change sider company commmander aft Barton,Beddly). it is what indeed a small world on think you. th gatting bling do far. this reght Hld blooring officer is not a bad. only frelty exensive lor mess afe from wedmerdin d Landloy last wak sunted 311 measter which is being soted though of cours pretty Moncy lf sench a one on deind at the start ete still it is very suce having a tont for 2ond with a bida
(3 Pentman bags and a sl after you. a bt b look the living the life strenuons of vate for the last few month still hs aled not have much houble in the fallin in to comforts. Received a buttelin et but yesterday dated Penve so for no letters Bast now as with the 15. for the they left yested front line of trunche about 12 meles from here do not think there wall be any fighting these but a watd suest be keft- shall protab be able to bnow a nay one Sunday and go out sle hiim of course wih we tis country get out
(4) tor albe shall come lve in being more to elter ✓ atl the one division and will bnd ws hope the soon come anythene I should say after 6 weeks hec Have played quite & cot anctin beedlec Latily the very Lardry being ✓ Colone Recend t so that you see one still manages I an to have a little notwith standing they sa there shing A was going Have just received I letters 2 for kanad and a parcel containing. ttaces cigarrite shorts etc the condesed + milk ten was token no leaked out but milk
(57 done to the rest damage the stuff Every thing useful & deeply is very also had a letter appreciated docombe which from Auther interesting it was was most 4 posted from jonga on 14 December received here 424-16 also received another long letter from dear ttope Yavees of england in which she saye all sorts of nce things have the first finished reading the lot letters & have sent Bast the 45 through to kane by Koy Traild who to way io going back by the to lnstraitic in about a course to tousd his week you look I told him to know low up I let you thigs aro

30/3/16

 

Serapeum
30.3.16
Mr. Donoghue
Dear Sir,
From the peninsular
I wrote to you & let you 
know that I was reverted to 
the ranks when joining 
up with the battalion and 
consequently my pay was reduced.   
I have now pleasure in informing 
you that I have received my 
commission as a 2/Lieut dating 
from 16th March 1916. and of 
course the extra sc pay which 
same carries.  I have indeed 
been lucky and consider I 
did not deserve to get same 
however some other officers 
thought otherwise.  I am now 
attached to A Company 13th. Batt.

 

(2)
and have gone back to the 
infantry side again.  Have just 
completed a 3 weeks course 
infantry course at the School 
of instruction at Zeitoun and 
although the work was hard 
& strenuous  I did very well 
the trouble of course being is 
that a terrible lot of work 
is got through in a very 
short period.  However when 
finished I had 4 days leave 
and had the time of my 
life visiting Alexandria & 
Cairo having a good fly 
around in each city.  
We are out in a spot now 
which seems to some to 
be right in the middle 
of the desert miles away 
from anywhere also the

 

(3)
weather is becoming beastly 
hot and dusty so that 
the sooner we move across 
to France the better 
anticipating   merely supposition 
on our part that we are 
going there but everyone here 
sincerely hopes so this place 
will be very unpleasant 
during the summer which is 
now starting with a vengence  
Since coming away from 
Lemnos Island after the 
evacuation from the peninsular 
we have been camped at 
Ismailia, Moascar, & Tel-el-
Kebir where the training has 
been regular and solid, 
so that we all feel ready 
and fit for another go at 
the real thing.  Trusting you

 

(4)
are fit and well and will 
you kindly remember me to 
all at the company also 
hoping to have the pleasure 
of seeing you again in the 
near future.
I remain 
yours. truly
Robert J. Henderson

 

Serapeum
3.4.16 
Dear Mick
Have once again settled 
down to camp life in this 
hot dusty desert with its 
increasing amount of torments
flies, heat, dust etc.  However 
we get plenty of good swimming 
in the canal which is most 
enjoyable the water is beautifully 
fresh and very salty then 
ships passing up and down 
make things most interesting 
there appears to be no 
sharks so we can swim 
anywhere & of course the 
depth of water is as least 
30ft.  Received my certificate 
from the school yesterday

 

(2) 
and find I gained 92% 
total with 8 exams which 
was not too dusty for me
Am attached to A Company 
in charge of No.2 Platoon 
under company commander
Capt. Barton (Biddy), it is 
indeed a small world what 
think you.  Am getting on 
all right so far this being 
a blooming officer is not 
too bad.  only pretty expensive
my mess a/c from Wednesday 
until Sunday last week 
being 311 piastres which is 
pretty solid though of course 
one spends a lot of money 
at the start on drinks 
etc.  Still it is very nice 
having a tent for 2 only 
with a nice bed made of

 

(3)
sand bags and a batman 
to look after you. a bit 
strenuous after living the life 
of private for the last few 
months still this chicken did 
not have much trouble in 
falling in to the extra 
comforts.  Received a bulletin 
yesterday dated 17th. Feb but 
no letters so far. Nana
is with the 45th. Batt. now 
they left yesterday for the 
front line of trenches about 
12 miles from here do not 
think there will be any 
fighting there but a watch 
must be kept.  shall probably 
be able to borrow a nag 
on Sunday and go out & 
see him of course when we 
get out of this country

 

(4)
we shall come together again 
& move together being in 
the one division and all 
of us hope the time will 
soon come anytime I should 
say after 6 weeks hence.   
Have played quite a lot of 
auction bridge lately the 
Colonel & Pardrey being very 
keen  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . So that 
you see one still manages 
to have a little game 
notwith standing they say there 
is a war going strong  
Have just received 8 letters 
(2 for Nana) and a parcel 
containing tobacco cigarretes 
shirts etc the condensed 
milk tin was broken & 
milk leaked out but no

 

(5)
damage done to the rest 
of the stuff  Everything 
is very useful & deeply 
appreciated.   Also had a letter 
from Arthur Slocombe which 
was most interesting it was 
posted from Tonga on 14th of 
December received here 4-4-16 
also received another long letter
from dear Hope Davies of 
England in which she says 
all sorts of nice things have 
just finished reading the 
letters & have sent the lot 
through to the 45th Batt. 
to Nana by Roy Traill who 
by the way is going back 
to Australia in about a 
week to finish his course.  
I told him to look you 
up & let you know how 
things are

Last edited by:
Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
Last edited on:

Last updated: