Letters from David Gerald Evans to his family, 1915 - Part 2

2

The place is swarming with
natives working or pretending
to. The ploughs look about
2000 years old & are drawn
by two cows or bullocks
that look as if they came
right out of the Old
Bible pictures. The funniest
thing is to see the little
Donkeys getting along with
great loads, & sometimes
a nigger or two.
There are also the quaintest
old water wheels among
the green crops.
We are at the  Zeitoun Camp
& got into Camp after dark
it is a desolate place out
among the sand.
AWM2017.1366.1 

3.
I went up & saw the

Heliopolis hospital today it

is an old Egyptian Palace

& an enormous place. 

I have not been into

Cairo yet. 

I have met a lot of

fellows here that I knew

in Australia

We had a great trip

over on the Boat & was

sorry to leave in a way

but very glad in others. 

I am pretty tired tonight

The weather is pretty hot

in the day time & cool

at night, & the sand

4.

is the very devil to walk

in

My address will still be

the same.

If you wan't to know

about where I am write

to Mr Gordon Stewart

c/o Cooks Cairo. they will

make enquiries & let you

know.

I thought I would be able

to write a long letter but 
don't feel inclined now

I think the mail goes

tomorrow

There are thousands of

horses over here doing nothing.

Good-bye love to all 
Gerald.

On Active Service
Mrs John Evans
Redcamp.
Wangaratta.
Victoria

Australia
[*D.G.E Lieut*]
 

 

Back of envelope - see original document 

Zeitoun
Sunday Nov 1^st 1915.
My dear Mother - 
As the mail leaves
tonight I think that I had better try     
and write to you this morning.
Will have been here a week tomorrow.
It has been pretty hot the last few
days but is rather cold at night
I have been into Cairo a couple of 
times & it is rather an interesting 
place & some very fine buildings
there are a great many Australians
there, people who have their relations
at the front or here
The Australians have donkey races
up the street & the people have to
get off the track, I am going  

out to the Pyramids today with
some of our chaps so

should be rather a nice trip
but rather warm methinks.
The 9^th Reinforcements arrived a 

couple of days ago they left
Australia before us as they are

all fellows I know it is very
nice to have them.
There are any amount of Colonels
& Majors over here they are nearly
as thick as the flies.
We hear very little about the progress

of the war except Gallipoli, they are

making very little headway there
and just about holding their own
They have some beautiful horses
here & they are very well kept.

I had to take command of the 
whole Battalion while General Maxwell

inspected it, a couple of days ago
but didn't have much to do,  it
is quite on the cards that I will 

be asked to be Adjutant for the

Battalion but don't know if I will

take it, it would mean advancement
but might miss the company
going away & be separated from
my mates.
We have no idea how long

3

we will be here.

I saw Percy Kidgell in Cairo last

night & also saw one of those
O'Briens's from Greta but was
not talking to him. Percy was quite
voluble.
The Melbourne Cup will be run on
Tuesday I think they are going to
have some kind of a sweep on
it.
Well the others are waiting so
will have to stop with love to
all 

Your loving son 

D. Gerald. Evans.

The same address 

On Active Service
Mrs John Evans.
Redcamp

Wangaratta.
Victoria

Australia

[*D.G.E. Lieut*]

Back of envelope - see original document. 

7^th November 1915
My dear Mother -
As this is Sunday
morning I think I may as
well write to you.
Last Sunday half a dozen of us
went out to the Pyramids &
had a pretty good time, we
went all around on Camels
& finished up by having a
race on Donkeys down to the 
Mena Station.
There are only two big Pyramids

now, one has been demolished
by an English American Syndicate
The Sphinx is a good deal
knocked about in the face.