Jones, Oscar Anglesey (Captain, b.1892 - d.1917), letters - Part 5

Desert of Sin
Sinai Peninsular
Feb 12^th 16
Dear Mother,"
A mail arrived yesterday, and
besides receiving two letters from you & one
from Gla, a lot of papers & a parcel
from the Welsh Presbyterian Church
also arrived. About that chap named
Henry William Bowen. He was drowned
at the time we were torpedoed.
His brother Walter Bowen is in B. Coy,
I have seen myself the name of H.W. Bowen
in the Casualty lists so cannot understand
how it is that they do not know of it
in Australia, however this should clear
it up. He was never seen after the
occurrence. I am surprised to hear
about Harry Toye & hope it is not serious,
Do not say anything to alarm his
mother, but in some cases they had
to amputate feet owing to the frost-bite. 
The poor Ghurkas suffering greatly
in this case. I have never
received a billy-can from Olive, neither
have I got any of the socks she
sent me, so someone else must have

been falling in for the good things
[*So Bert Jacka is in the Ammunition Column. I will
look him up first chance I get, although that may
be some time yet. You said that you had not*]
 

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received your usual Xmas mail and was
wondering if all was well with them. It must
have been delayed somewhere for I had
mail from them and they were alright.
So the Doran is filling out. I am
pleased to hear it, as he could'nt be a
Jones, and remain a lamp-post.
He can use up all my clothes
excepting the brown suit, & I am sure
for one thing that he could not fill
that properly. I am glad to hear
that Gla had a good time at
Maffra. It would seem a small
household with only two of you for
Xmas dinner, would'nt it?
Now to start on your other letter.

Oh, I must thank you for the snaps
of Gla & yourself. I am very pleased
to have them Gla I noticed has got
stouter since I went away, but the
cockatoo eye", hardly expresses it. Anyway
they are nice to have with me.
I am pleased to hear that you
sent a parcel to Syd Masters for New Year,
also to Norman Dean. In a letter from
him yesterday he mentions that he
has received it & has written to you.
I do not know about Syd Masters,
as since we left for the Dardenelles
 

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I have not seen him, but by now he
should be with his Regiment.
Guess that canine you have
must be a full blown crank. Can't imagine
what he means by reversing positions
but suppose it is alright.
In your letter of the 21^st you
mention that news of the evacuation
has come through. It was through
very quickly because we left in the
small hours of the 20^th.  However you
know all about it now. I have not
received Ivor's letter as yet and it
makes me think that the mail
has not arrived in full, but it
will come sooner or later I think.
We are orderly Coy to-day &
I am having an easy time of it
owing to all the men being away
on different fatigues. However I have
charge of the outpost to-night so
will make up for it that way.
The papers were very acceptable
as reading matter was very scarce
The stock now in will last us a
bit though, certainly it should do
till the next mail comes along.
I have just finished a book
of Kipling's called Life's Handicap which is
 

pretty good, although only short stories
of certain characters. The Xmas
number of the Bulletin" is very good this
year and I have been favourably impressed
by some of the poems in it, although
others are absolute rot.
The Turks are not showing
up very plainly as yet, and I somehow
think he will not come this time.
Anyway the day we embark for France
will be a red letter day for us.
I guess we will dodge the submarines
safely, anyway; they have not got any
bluff on us & if we go down then we
can swim till rescued, and if not that,
then; "we are Australians, and not afraid.
Winter will be coming on by
when this letter reaches you, while it is
steadily getting warmer over here.
[[Hourisser]] roaming around in a half-dervish
fashion is A.1. and it certainly
saves labour & carrying of [[togs]].
Well Mum I think this
is all the news this time, so
trusting all at home are
well.
I remain
Your Son
Oscar
 

Moascar Camp
Egypt.
March 9^th
Dear Mother,"
You will see by this letter that
I have reached Egypt again. We came
in from Sinai yesterday.
I was in Cairo on leave wit
from Saturday evening, till Tuesday morning,
and met the Battn as I was going
back. I had a fairly good
time in Egypt, or I should say Cairo,
and spent the evenings with Dean.
We had our photos taken together,
and I also had mine taken
by myself. Should see the proof
on Sunday if Dean can bring
them down. Last Sunday afternoon
I went to the Cairo Zoo for a few
hours and had a good time. They have
a splendid pipe or tarbosh band,
and the grounds are lovely.
Dean was down at Tel-El-Kebir, but
I happened to see his brother and
he came along. Norman Dean is
looking splendid, and talks of 
 

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coming back to the Battn, but I

did not advise him to do so, as the
conditions in our next scrap may not
be too good. It will be very soon
now, another month or thereabouts, and
things should then be interesting.
The place where we are now is
about half a mile from Ismalia, and
is alongside what is known as the
Sweetwater canal. x [?] finished one of the many canals
running off the Nile. We are a lot
nearer civilization, and there is a bit
of colour to break the barren look of
sand. Last Thursday and Friday
out in the desert, were two of the
worst, in fact easily the worst days
ever I have experienced. It was
one continual sandstorm, abating
a little during the night certainly
but renewing its vigour as soon as
the dew was off the sand.
We were trying to do some musketry
but it was awful, and one could
not keep his eyes open for more than
a couple of seconds at a time.
When I reached Cairo, the
 

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bathroom was first favourite easily.
I went out to Heliopolis to try and
see some of the reinforcements who were
there but could not find anyone
home, so motored back again.
I have forgotten Bert's address
but think he is in the Bgde
Ammunition Column of the 6^th Bgde,
anyway you could find it on your
next letter if you do not mind.
I have not seen Des Eaton
at all lately, but suppose he
is alright. Saw Harry Noye
here yesterday and he (looks well
but did not have time to speak to
him. Most of our old chaps
have rejoined us, and they look
A.1. too. The rest has
certainly benifeted by a lot of them.
Met a chap in the dining-car
coming down from Cairo who
knew a lot of people in the North
that I know, and we had a
great yarn. The dining car
on the Cairo Pt Said train is
a very good, one, waiters native
 

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and French. The irrigation belt
along the Nile valley looks
splendid now, and was an
aye-opener to me. The burseem
crop which is a similar fodder
to lucerne, is in great order,
all done by irrigation. That
Nile river absolutely makes Egypt.
Their cotton crop is worth about
40,000,000 a year so you can
guess they do some irrigating over
here. I do not know
how mail is, going from here
but expect that arrangements
will be made in a day or two
for it. Tell Gla I am
going to write to her in a day
or so.
Trusting all at home
are well.
Your Son
Oscar
 

S.S. Minnewaska
Alexandria
March 19^th
Dear Mother,"
You will see by this address, that I
am writing on board a ship at our old embarkation
port. Along with five other Officers & 8 men we
arrived as an advance guard to take over & make
arrangements for the Battn. We were travelling
all night from Moascar, and feel a bit sleepy after
our journey. At last we are saying farewell to the
desert, and do not feel at all sorry, for one gets to
dislike it intensely, in the hot weather. I have
received my second star. It came out in orders yesterday
so naturally I feel proud of myself. The next star
will be to the rank of Captain, but I think it will be
a long time before that takes place, in fact do not
think it likely in the ordinary course of events; although
I will try for it, and a big one too, if ever the chance
comes. Was speaking to Harry Toyes the other day.
He is quite well & enjoyed himself at Luna Park
hospital, once the feet started to get well.
The Bgde were inspected by H.R.H. the
Prince of Wales, at Moascar yesterday. We marched
 

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past in column of rank, each officer saluting as
he came along. The Prince took the salute, so I can
say I have saluted & been saluted in return by the
Prince of Wales. Your favourite, Sir William Birdwood
was there; and gave a short address. It was a
brute of a day, sand blowing over everyone & everything
all the time. We are on our way to France & hope
to have a go in the firing line again before very long.
I do not know whether the submarines will
get home on us, but fancy that they were pretty well
cleared out just now. Will continue this letter tomorrow
as it is getting on towards 11 P.M. & I am sleepy
20^th We moved off about 9 A.M. in the morning and
are now well out in the Mediterranean, with a stiff
breeze blowing head on. The vessel seems to be a good
boat & does not roll very much. I am on the
submarine guard, which will be a permanent one
during the voyage, so am in luck's way, no parades
etc to do with the Coy, just three hours on & four
nine off when the guard is on. Four days should
see us on the other side of the water & sighting
the disembarkation port, so all is well with us.
My ambition is realising itself. To fight
on the continent alongside their crack regiments