Letters from David Gerald Evans to his family, 1915 - Part 4

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Pierce was mentioned in the report &
promoted to 1^st Lieutenant
I enquired about Frank Ridgway &
Bill Usherwood at the Record Office they
are alright so far.
Bill must have had a bit of scraping
to buy those scarves as the privates
don't get much pay over here.
I went out to the Races at the Geryvich
Sporting Club yesterday, it is a beautiful
place with Golf links Polo ground tennis
courts & everything complete. An ideal
place for picnic races. The horses
are all Arabs & Barbs they cannot
go very fast, but the racing
was interesting, they have the
totalisaton & it is quite strange not
to hear sol Bookmakers.

I saw young Carmicheal from [[Gret?]]
at the races he was in the 8^th LH.
that were cut up so badly, only 58
left out of 400 odd, Carmichael was in
the first line was not touched, he

got enteric fever after & is now in
 

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the pay office in Cairo.
It is quite possible that I will be

here some time as I believe they

are going to send the men away

without us & Lord knows how long

we will be here.

I think we are going up to the

Barrage the dam across the Nile

where they work all this irrigation

scheme from it should be rather

interesting.

It is not much use asking questions

in letters as one cannot get an

answer for a couple of months

but I hope they will write plenty

of letters & tell me all the news. I have

been very lucky so far & have the

record here easily

love to all

Your loving son

Gerald.

Zeitoun

Egypt

14-12-15.

My dear Minnie

Yours of Nov 5th

came the day before yesterday I also

got one from Father. I got five

that day so did alright it is

very nice to get letters over [[here?]]

I am enclosing a few snaps

taken lately. I hope you will put

them all away somewhere I may

want them.

Thanks for your letter with all

the news in. They must be very

shorthanded with the shearing

when they call in Gerry's aid I

reckon he would get in the road

some, but he might be alright as

tarboy if he didn't swallow the

tarbrush. When is Edie going to

send him to the war.

2.
Fred Howard is down with the
remount crowd I hear is a batman
to one of the officers I thought he
would be too slow. Tullett my batman
is a bonzer, I will back him against

Fred, he is very faithful too, minds

like a dog.

You certainly must have had a

houseful of women when Doris

& Nona were there. Evan had bad

luck being hors de combat, but

he seems to have been doing

alright

Things are buzzing a bit here but

one cannot say much as the

censor is pretty strict now but

don't think he will censor any

of mine. My address is still the 

same.

Father says, the country is looking

very well. Have they sold my

cattle yet? I wish the boys would

write to me sometimes.

Don't call the pony Zetta

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& I think Colleen Oge Asthore

is a bit long. I still think that

tactical move of mine was abright but

it didn't come off did it?

We have to go out all day tomorrow

so will ring off

Good bye.

Your aff Brother

Gerald. 

Aerodrome Camp

Heliopolis

19.12.15.

My dear Mother. -

Hope you don't

get tired of reading my letters, but

if you get them all, they must

be a bit of a bore for you.

I sent a cable to you

yesterday, with Xmas Greetings

which I think you should

get it about Wednesday 22^nd.

There have been a lot of

wild rumours lately & I thought

you might think we were

in action & I sent the cable

to allay any anxiety you

might have on the subject. 

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I had quite a big day yesterday
finding friends relations etc.
Frank Ridgway at last

at Ma'adi, I had written to him
but his reply went astray
so I went down & found
him he is looking awfully
well much bigger than when
I saw him last & very cheerful
though a bit tired of soldiering
I think he is a Corporal.
When I got back to Cairo, I
was in a restaurant having
Dinner & Wilfred Evans & David
Evans (Herbert's son) were there
Wilfred has a moustache, David
is very like Jack with the
same jaw he is in the L.H
Ambulance & expected to go
away today but don't know
AWM2017.1366.1

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if he did. Wilfred came in the
Artillery with Ian Whitty whom
I saw this morning Stan
Gardiner, two Steeles. "Chips"
Adamson, two Fannings, (Evan
will know these they were at
the Grammar) Bob Hore Lieut
from Albury are with the 
same lot they are camped
about 100 yards from me at

present.
It is a great thing to
bring people, together, this
war isn't? it?

The censoring of letters has

been very strict &  lately &
as I have to do it all for 

my men & yet pretty sick

of it it takes us a lot

of time, but I should be

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able to write a good love

letter soon, some of them

are very lovey dovey

I got a letter from Edie

the other day which I have

answerd, also a Referee &

Despatch from Minnie this

morning, but haven't had

any parcels yet.

Frank says he gets his

parcels regularly.

I haven't heard anything of

Bill Usherwood yet. It is
very hard to find anybody
here. Hope to get some letters

this week. Expect, we will have
a bit of a trip on Xmas

day. Good-bye. Love to all

Your loving Son

Gerald. 

Aerodrome Camp
Heliopolis
Christmas Day 1915.
My dear Mother,
Am writing to you tonight not
because I have very much to write about, but

because it is Xmas day or has been, & I have

thought of you all a great deal today - even

more than usual - because Xmas day always
seems to be celebrated with much gusto at
Redcamp Suppose there to a goodly gathering
today.
I had one [[?]] present, every soldiers has been 

given a present of tobacco & Chocolate in
a small tin box; mine, is all tobacco, am
going to send it home as a souvenir
or curiosity.
We had to stay in camp all day as we were
the inlying Battalion. Only for that I was
going to Alexandria for the week-end.
We had a very nice dinner I am, enclosing
the menu, which you will see has been
Compiled [[after?]] much thought, the mess was

very nicely decorated by a Sergeant who
was a window dresser at the Colisseum.
Had a church service this morning the only time
I have been to church on Xmas day, a special
message from the King was read to us.
Tomorrow is Sunday & I think it is just as
well as some of the boys are feeling the
strain a bit, have dined rather well but not
wisely.
The Artillery are moving to another camp tomorrow
they don't waste much time in the lot Jack Evans
is in. - they have been drilling all day today 

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& they also work till lunch time on
Sundays -
I cannot write any more now as I
wrote to Minnie on Wednesday which y
will arrive by same mail as, by rights.
I hope next Xmas will see, me at home
again I wish everyone a Happy New Year
Your loving Son
Gerald