Correspondence between Herbert Vincent Reynolds and his family, 1914-1915 - Part 8

(7)

allabasta a substance like
marble but more beautiful, there
is a huge chandelier hanging from
the dome and covering near all
the centre of the large dome,
it is said to have been presented
to Mohamed Aly by King Louie of
France, it is most beautiful by
day, but one wonders what the
effects are when it is lid & lit
up which is only 5 times a year
when the Khedive visits the Mosque,
The tomb of Mohamed Aly is in
one corner of the Mosque. and is only
open to view when the Khedive
visits it, the carpets on the floor
are beautiful works and came from
Constantinople. We then went
into two other Mosques, the El-Refaie
and the Mahmudieh mosques, the
 

(8)
first named contain the tombs of
the previous Khedive and his wife
and children the inscriptions on
the tombs are of solid silver as
are the electric light pedestals,
this place is kept under lock and
key with watchmen in charge,
we could not see this mosque itself
only the tombs which are in two
seperate rooms are open to the public.
The Mahmudieh Mosque is a very
dirty and place, the common class
use this one, but we seen the place
there are over 400 mosques in Cairo,
we climbed the minaret of this
mosque, and got an excellant
view of Cairo, although from the
Citadel absolutely the best view
can be obtained. I will send you
some postcards of these places if I
 

(9)
can get them, I hope you are getting
them all right. One of our chaps
died of Pneumonia following measels
at the Pallace Hotel Hospital at
Heliopolis yesterday, his name
was Pickles he is to be burried
tomorrow I expect we will all
attend the funeral it will be
the first one from our camp.
Ellis Stones has been troubled with
a bad face he has had an absas
on the jaw. I have not seen Pete
for near a month now.
We rode home in a motor last
night it cost us 2/- but it was
worth it the driver could make
the thing shift we done the 12
miles in a little under 20 minutes
the road is a splendid ashphalt
one and lovely and smothe.
 

This is about all the news today
hoping you are all well
Yours Truly
Bert
 

Friday April 9^th
Dear Mother
I did not expect that
we would be allowed to write home
after we left Egypt, but we were told
today that the mail closes tonight,
so I am writing these few lines in haste.
We cannot write of where we are or anything
concerning the troops. We have been on the
boat a few days now, and I am just getting
used to it, I had a pretty crook time the first
night and the next day out, with seasickness
Address all my letters as before to Egypt.
We have only a change of underclothes and
one blanket with us. I expect that
we will have plenty to do in a week,
or so, we have been waiting about
  

long enough now, and we are all
ready for a scrap of some sort.
I don't know for certain wether Pete's
lot left with us or not, but I don't
think they have. I did not bring
any writing material with me so
have to make anything do.
This is about all that I can write
today hoping you receive this
all right I am truly
Bert
 

"Rewena"
12/5/16
Dear Fan
I received my bad news on
Monday morning. I got a cablegram
from Ellis saying he is wounded in leg
Will gone, poor Will Oh it is awfull
we cannot realise it. We have not
had official notice yet, but there have
been several cases here where it is
a week from the time they recieve
a private cablegram till they hear
officially. Ellis must be in a
Hospital in Egypt for that is
where it was sent from Oh Fan
it is too dreadfull my two poor old
boys Jim whent to the defence today
but could hear nothing they say they
cannot keep up with the work
there are so many coming through
it is worse than we ever thought
of I do trust Fan that Bert is safe
you see it was such a terrible
landing the poor boys had no chance
 

2
I wrote to Bert last mail
Oh Fan what I would give to know
how much my boy is wounded.
And I really hope he will be invaladed
home. When I think of him laying
in the Hospital and not one of his
own with him it seems too much
to bear I cannot write any more
tonight Tell Eva but do not tell
Aunt it will upset her so
how is she give my love to all
and accept the same from
your loving
Cousin

May

Mrs H Reynolds

Albert St

Sebastopol

Ballarat

Victoria

Australia

official form - see original document

I am quite well.

I have been admitted into hospital

{sick }and am going well

{wounded} and hope to be discharged soon

I am being sent down to the base

I have received your

{letter dated 21^st April

{telegram ".............

{parcel "...............

Letters follows at first opportunity.

I have received no letter from you

{lately

{for a long time

Pte Reynolds

Thurs 10^th June 1915.