Letters from Albert Charles Cox to his mother, 1915-1916 - Part 12

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weather the last few days, & am beginning to enjoy the

spell. It is great sleeping out, for the nights are always
beautiful. Am working up a great colour on my arms &
face, for we can go about without being dressed up in a coat
& Sam Browne belt. The life is not as bad as one would
believe with so few comforts, but there are no bullets flying
about to confine me to the trenches altogether, & the
solitude does not worry me in the least. There are times
during the day when there is absolutely no sound whatever, but
it is wonderful so what distance sound will travel in the desert.
You may just about be able to distinguish a nigger in the distance,
and you can here them him singing, or making a noise which
probably corresponds to what they term signing. I mention a
nigger for they are generally chanting something or other.
Barlow who is one of our officers, mentioned to-day that
his brother had arrived, probably the Sir George whom you
spoke of, as this fellow possesses some sort of title. He (the former)  
is a very decent chap & we get on quite well together, as
both of us are about as keen on the work as each other.
Can't think of anything else dear, but will try &
make something else up in a few days.
Best love from
Your loving son
Bert 
1 DRL 220  

Egypt
3/6/16
Dearest,
Had another letter from you to-day dated
Easter Sunday from Leura & am pleased to hear
you are enjoying yourself.
Saw M^r Titmus a couple of days ago on
returning from the beaches & had a good yarn to
him. He took my photo & will send you one
if any good. He looks very well & of course has
plenty of work to do, & let we have a few cases
of foodstuffs for the Company.
I might tell you that I am now actually a
mounted officer, as we all have our horses. etc.
allotted. Mine is quite a decent chestnut mare, &
goes very well. We were inspected yesterday &
she evidently realised that she ought to make a
show, for she refused to stand still for one
minute. Will send you a photo of her shortly,
if I can manage to have it printed. Am 

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thinking of calling her Lady Abercorn, but have
not quite decided yet.
One of my chaps gave me a cosher little
cooker today, sent to him from England, but
which he is unable to carry with him. It is like
a small pot (aluminium) with a folding tripod
& heat is obtained from a tin of methalyted spirits
wax, which is supposed to last for weeks, &
above all there is no possiblity of spilling it.
Will be able to turn out tip top courses in
the trenches now.
Your letters are coming through excellently
& I don't think any have arrived later than
six weeks after being written. Had one from
Jean to-day dated 1 May for which please
thank her, & also convey my warmest greetings
to her.
Am having ratter a trying time with a
candle to-night stuck on top of a tin of fruit,
as it is a bit windy, & the grease keeps running
away, mostly onto the blankets, so I think I
had better finish this to-morrow. 

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To-morrow
Intended riding into Ismalia to-day but it is
too hot yet, & I may go in with Barlow later on in the
cool of the evening for dinner. Fortunately it is possible
as his shout for the meal is not ready until 9 o clock or
as we would say it; 2100.
I have quite a number of letters here to answer &
with the limited amount of news available. I don't quite
know how it is to be accomplished. I must say a lot
of rot goes in most of them, but it fills a sheet of
paper and you cannot quite understand what letters are
to us I am sure, so they must be acknowledged to keep
up the flow.
Am afraid it is a bit too hot to carry on this
letter, & the phrases seem to be getting a little disjointed.
Dont imagine I am going off my head on account of
the monotony of the desert though, for I hope to be out
of it shortly.
Best love to all from
Your loving son
Bert 

[*P.S.

Saw your friend

M^r Cohen, who did the same

school as I in Sydney, a couple 

of days ago. Still talks as much as

ever, but he has a commission after all.*]

7/6/16
Dearest
Still in the same old spot although I dare say
you have been thinking otherwise.
Have had a few great old flies round xx in
the saddle the last few days, & the mare enjoys
it as much as I do, for she is in pretty good nick
& has done very little work lately.
Am pleased to hear you received my cable
of 21 April last, but I should like you so repeat what
I send in acknowledging any future ones, as it is
hard to remember when I send them for it generally
happens that I lose the receipt. Am writing in
style to-night for "old Brown" (my batman) has
rigged me up a table in the tent, & the flies,
that is those who are left after my recent execution,
are sleeping. They are becoming awful pests in
the daylight & make it almost impossible to
sleep, but I get my revenge at nights with a
switch.
Old Brown as we all call him is an 

ideal batman, & a great old chap. Am afraid he is
spoiling me for I am not allowed to do anything
unless under his supervision. He causes quite a
lot of amusement with his knowing look & perpetual
smile. He happened to be near the other day when
Burns was "shaffing" his batman for not being
handy, & Brown touching his cap with a knowing
look volunteered for find him, with as much as to
say "I'll fix him." He loves the tea-pot too & I
don't mind telling you we often have a drop together.
I have quite a pile of letters to answer & I
forget if I told you yours of 28^th Apr. arrived a few
days ago. Nevertheless I am jolly pleased to hear
you had such a "topping" time at Leura, & Aunt
Lill says you are looking well. Hope you are
feeling as fit as this cove.
Glad to hear Joe called on you, but for my own
part I am not particularly anxious that his prophecy
will come true, for it would just about break
my heart to have to return without seeing a bit
of the real thing after being in camp so long
(10 months) 

Hope Mrs. N. received sufficient instruction in the
handling of husbands while at Leura. I bet it caused
a good deal of amusement. Hope mine won't study
the game so closely (when I get her). Have not fallen
in love over here yet, but one can never tell if
he gets to England what will happen (?)
There is no news to write to Tol, so he will
have to accept this as an acknowledgement to his
masterpiece on the typewriter. I expect to find
him a blooming millionare with the royally obtained
from all those songs he is composing. Is he still
as affectionate as ever towards Lonie? Perhaps
not as some of it must have been transferred to
M^r Colliver.
I expect to enclose some photos in this note
as Barlow has gone into town to-night & promised
so bring them home. Will finish later or in the
morning I should say.
8/6/16.
The photos were not ready so will have to wait
until next letter. The death of Lord Kitchener was
pretty bad news, but there is the consolation of
 [*knowing that he practically accomplished the end before departing. The Germans
are probably feeling rather elated over their deed, but it will no doubt spur
recruiting on our side. Good-night dear with best love from

Your loving son   Bert 

17/6/16
Dearest
It quite slipped my memory when writing my last
letter that it was Jim's birthday on the 5^th & I hope
he will "pardonnez moi". Am picking up my French,
as you will see, & as my tent mate speaks it
fluently we ^often converse together, for it will be useful if
I get over the other side. I can understand practically
anything he says already, but find it a bit harder
to express myself.
We have had quite a lot of news in the papers
for this part of the world) during the last few days, &
most of it reads very well, except of course the death
of Kitchener. Am enclosing a clipping from the
"Egyptian Mail" which is a specimen of what mistakes
often creep in. Perhaps they think 2.0/- is more than
£1 though.
I got my negatives last night, such as they
are & enclose them herewith. Prints were taken
but they were so bad that I refused to accept them 

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so Tol will have to try his hand again. Numbers 1 to
3 are the trenches I was in, but of course cannot say 

where; 4 and 6 my gun in different positions; 5 my gun
team; 7, yours truly & "old Brown" sitting on top of my
dug-out, & 8 the same minus "old Brown" (I am wearing
smoked glasses, & not black eyes); 9, water arriving; 10 ^11 pack
camels at -; 12, our lines at -, 13, from which
most of our "information" xxxx is spread so tradition
has it; 14, "old Brown" shewing results of a couple of
fly bites on his face. There were a couple of others
but they were not worth sending.
It is pretty warm to-day, but fortunately it
is possible to go about in shorts & a shirt being Sunday
It must be very much after the heat you experienced
in Japan for although doing nothing "sweat" rolls off
quite freely. So far as my memory serves me xxxx
the two countries are practically in the same latitude
though.
I wonder what has become of Clive Firth for
I wrote so him well over a month ago & up to date
he has not answered it. Apparently the family are not
scribes for Minnie has only written one letter to me.
Perhaps she has found a beau other than old Wal. 

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It appears as though Aunt Nina has reconsidered her
intentions as regards writing for no letter has come from
that quarter yet.
I think I told you my name had been sent along
for promotion some time ago, but it has not appeared in
orders yet & don't imagine that I have got it. Will let you
know in good time if if comes out.
Nothing more to write about just now dear.
Love to all from
Bert
1DRL 220