Letter from unknown 31 July 1916

PR82/8
Cairo 31 Jany 16.
Dear M^r. Macansh,
You know of course we left Pennislar

& then came over here -  a 10 days ago I heard
Harling was looking very well & that he had been
made a Sergeant. I havn't seen him but one day
when I get the chance I'll run out to his camp &
see him - I am ashamed at not having written
to thank you for sending me the sheepskin
waistcoat. I have the impression I sent thanks
to you through M^rs Macansh as soon as I got
your letter telling me you were sending it & 
I was waiting for it to turn up to write you.
It was awfully good of you to send it and I much
appreciated your kind thought - I must be
honest. I am sorry to say it never turned up & 
I was waiting each post & then in end waited for
our Xmas parcels to see if by chance it could
have been included in them - we got them
10 days ago - I feel wild - I got one parcel
from you. It was labelled outside 'Clothing
Sweets & tobacco'- that I think must have
been the one as you told me you were
sending tobacco- When I opened it - I found
only 2 tins of tobacco - a rough sort of towel and
no sweets - That evidently is an example of how
lots of poor fellows have been treated - I heard 

of one man finding stones in his parcel
when he opened it - Clem also said she sent
me a sheepskin waistcoat - I had intended
passing the second one on to Jack but hers
too. did not turn up - may of course have been
submarines - I left the Ambulance a week ago.
& am now working at the Headquarters of the
Australian Imperial Force & Cairo as a Sergeant -
I am sorry for many reasons to leave the
old Unit as the Colonel & all the Officers
were always invariably kind to me but this
is promotion & the work much lighter -
At times other was a bit rough & strenuous.
I am awfully glad I was able to see
the show through on the Peninsular -
I am very comfortable here - All 50 of us
living in diggings - large place rented &
we have wicker beds & mattresses to sleep
on & good plain clean cooking & plenty to
eat. The niggers are good & look after us.
I fixed up a table by turning box on end &
got a camp stool. & I am writing with
your fountain pen - a nigger has just
been in & made up my bed & when
he heard that I was writing to Australia
he said to tell you that he any nigger 

Ismail looks after me very well.
We are allowed 3/- a day - it is not
paid tons but goes for rent,
food & service - We are only a few
minutes walk from H.Q.
Iwa don't remember whether I told M^rs
Macansh.  The Y.M.C.A. have a place
right in heart of Cairo - It is a great
boon to soldiers & splendid to have it -
open to all in uniform - Real ladies
dispense tea coffee cocoa cakes
sandwiches to at reasonable rates
of course clean & there are tables
for eating - reading (papers about) &
writing & posting letters - also skating
rink - it is well patronised _
I am going to run down now
& post this & another letter Iv'e written
& most probably before returning I'll
drop in there to have a cup of cocoa
& piece of cake -
Kindest regards to Mrs Macansh
Yours very sincerely
J. Joliquee