Letters from Albert Charles Cox to his mother, 1915-1916 - Part 10

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it is a pretty fair effort for this part of the world.
Hope Sol. is getting along well. Give my love to all with
plenty for yourself.
Your loving son
Bert.
 

[*1 DRL220*]
 

Egypt
22/4/16
Dearest,
Received a couple of "Sunday Times" from you this week,
& am expecting a letter any day, but will try & run off
a few lines to you now. The Times has been arriving pretty
regularly lately + I think I shall withdraw my previous
request & ask you to continue sending it along. Am
enclosing a couple of photos of native "soft drinks" sellers parading
the streets. Don't know what the flavours are for I never felt
dry enough to try them. Note the glasses hanging round their
waists, & you will notice in the right hand of the younger
a couple of metal saucers which they clang together all the
time, in place of our icecream man's bugle.
I gave an order for an Anzac Book to be sent to you,
but don't expect it for a couple of months after you receive this,
for they are being done up & sent from England. I don't know
what it is like, but I believe there are a good many
interesting views. The number of my order was 37026 in
case it is necessary to know it.
Had a great trip round the lake yesterday in a
 

motor launch, arranging [*2.*] details for the sports which are to
be held on Anzac day (25 Apr.) We went on board the
various boats & you bet we had a pretty good time. By jove
the naval men are great chaps, + with their aid the sports
should be a great success. A concert is to take place in
the evening, but the great trouble is to obtain a piano.
Nevertheless the artists are numerous. The sports of course are
taking the shape of ^an aquatic ^carnival, & don't get excited if people tell
you of the great times put up, for they will be swimming
with the current. Of course that is a secret.
A few of the larrikins who took part in the first of the
Liverpool mix-ups are down here, & they tried to do a bit of the
striking business a couple of days ago, but they got the shock
of their lives. There are too many of the old hands amongst
them to swallow that, & they treat them as they should be
treated. It seems a terrible farce to us that those birds who
march through the towns should get such receptions. Plenty of
time to extend that to them when they return
Sent you a cable yesterday of a couple of words - Well, love
Thought you may like to know as much, & I hope you are
all O.K.
The cake is going splendidly, in fact it has almost
gone. Everything else has gone of course + each mouthful
received due recognition I can tell you.
 

3.   23/4/16

Having it pretty warm to-day, but it is Sunday & four
letters have just been brought in, including one from you of
11th March. You will be pleased. to hear I went to Communion
this morning. You make I smile dear when you ask me
to bring home a beaten silver tray. For Goodness sake don't
try & make me believe that we are going to be here until the
show is over, for I know exactly what time the sun rises &
sets in Egypt, & from what direction the Khamseen winds come,
also what the desert looks like + I can assure you that is good
enough for anyone. We want to see something new now.
 

Glad to receive yours explanation re the cable for £10, but
it did not worry me as I know that some of the cables do go
astray, although the [[castern?]] told me that it was delivered.
I think I have already asked you to take any expenses in
connection with cables etc out of my account. Please give me
an idea of what money is to my credit when you answer this,
as I may want some more some day. As a matter of fact you
may receive a cable for some before this arrives.

Have not received any more socks from Aunt Dill yet
but I should not be at all surprised to hear they are at the
Red Cross stores in Cairo. Don't know when I shall be able to
get up there as leave is scarce. As you say; very nice
remarks are being cast about concerning ^Mrs [[Tower?]]. I think
I can back up Jean in her statement. Has she managed to get
off either of the girls yet?   Yes! I did head that Stanley
 

4.
Le Bay Holthouse was engaged, & needless to say got as
much a surprise as Eric. I think it was he who told 

me.

You mention that it must be great to be in Egypt
with all the swank, but you would very soon get sick
of it. As a matter of fact I fail to see where it is, but if
you swallow all the yarns that are put in the papers,
made up by some romantic individual it is quite
possible to imagine it. I am enclosing a clipping from the
British-Australasian which I came across only this
morning, which reads awfully well, but there "ain't" much
romance out in the desert. Perhaps I have not enough ^in me to
see it in [[?]] though. Nevertheless we knock out a bit
sport somehow or other.
Going for another trip round the lake to-morrow
to make final preparations for Tuesday & I will write you
another letter after [[the sports]] are over.
Best of love from
Your loving son Bert
 

26/4/16
Dearest,
What with the heat + fles to day overyene is feeling thrath
livery, not excepting yours truly, & arguments are quite
common. It is quite the hollest day we have had & everything
is burning hat, so much so that one cannot be down even
though we sare in your sents without anything on except a
pair of pyjama trousers
The sponds wead through yehptay without a hibch
provided plenty of amugement. Amse a large crowob turned
up, & the day could not have been better. One of the
hinmest items of the afternoon was provided by a couple of
the judges who feel inth the water when srying to get onto
a barrel raft which was so be the finishing point.
Evidently they were not


Eseamen for both hried.
to geton it at the same time, 4 of course it did what
it was intended to, for it was only constructed for the
Hobstacldrase.. After that needless so say, the Julges were
satisflishyfo remain vin their row boat. The concert at
s wight turned out pretty well considering the chap who
promised to have the ramps put up, camenalons
at the
 

last minute & told us shal he was unable to get
them. Nevertheless we hunted some up & got through
the programme abright. By gove there are some pretty
good artists in the Army, + it is never hand to put on
a really good programme.
A keeze is fust commencing, but whither, it is going
cool things down a peat us to a duskstam, I dont
to
know. No need to fell yow which we prefer, even
though it may only prevent a few scraps.I Think I had
better shop here + wait until things present themselves in
ar more pleasant light, for I am sure you would not
delight in liskning to any more growling.
2/4/16
The duststorm did not eventuate, but the an cooled somewhat
on Wednesday & things have been pretty right since. I had
another letter from you to -day dated 25 Mar, which came
through rather quickly, due no doubt to it being addressed
t the new Batt, but you already have the neweraddress.
Received a pair of mittens yesterday from someone, but
no letter has arrived. Wait a minute! I think I remember in
the last letter from you, you said either Lim or Eric had
made me a paint in which case please thank one or the
other for me. They may come in very handy shortly.
Should not mind being in L.Q. shoes drawing the nice
bistle sum of £7,000, but as I am not I hope tric has half
 

brains. Hope he gets
erhaps I should say
the luck, o0
will do more good
across there, for I am sure he
in such a position than in the Army. I had been
unable to make out why Brian did not get his Commo
but the slip of paper you enclosed explains the
position. A funny thing there should be a memo
about the A.G. Companies on the
same piice.
pontents of the
they have both gone
"As regards" L.J.P. & the vox
you ask if Hugh
but not to the same place I hope.
for he & his wife
Buckler has lost a leg. I don't think so
bhen go to Tel-el.- Lebir to give entertainments, + I never
Had another letter from Gran. Hodday
heard anothing of it.
shrange to say, but I was very pleased to get it. She
said she mer Mr. & Mrs. Jim Bell just after leaving "Colonna
one day, who were evidently going to see you. Funny
how people tun up, after such a long time without hearing
of them.

I have the got of censon this week, which pakes
up quite a lot of ones time, + I am afraid these
will have to end here with best love from
few lines
in
you loving
por
Bel

 

mrs

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seen him a few times, but of course that is all
is the regular, half hobday this afternoon & been
rather warm 9 dy, the boys ard having a great sime
round Hhe canteed which is only a few yards from
our lines. Some are becoming tuned up already, but
of course the supply of liquor is regulated a they don't
get absolutely incapable. Arguments are very much in
evidence, with the inevitable occasional small scrap
but then pals soon separate them.
Serry to hear you get the blues now + again dear
but tho' I know it as fle one at home who heally has
the hardships to endure, buick up + have a good sime
for worrying won't lessen them. Keep well a shong a
we can enjoy ourselves on my return.
Have not received any letter from Awnt King yes
but I shan'd forged to do what you ask. Neither have
the cigaredtes herived.. Would rather have a few fins
Lucy Hinson, as good tobacco is hard so get in this
there dye
part of the globe, but of course, plenty of couption cigarettes
which I prefer to the Virginians. You can bey reald
good Egyplian cigaretles, out shrange to say very few here
seem to care for them now. I was going to send you a
sin, but they sold me their export was prohibited now, without
paying duty of course.
So you remember the bottle of 4711 you gave

me before I left over six months ago. Well I still
merotm i