Letters of Richard John Longstaff

1
Egypt
Febuary 1915
Dear Edie
It is ten weeks now since we
left Australia & during all that time I
have only received one letter & that one was
from you which I received at Colombo containing
a Xmas card. Our regiment has received
seven mails during that time & I cannot
understand how none have come my way
considering that the last mails to arrive
were dated Sydney January 16^th. Probably my
letters went astray or might have been destroyed
by the censor. Neither Will or myself have
received word from home & we are both anxiously
awaiting news from there. Of course it is
nothing to worry over & if the letters are on there
way they are bound to arrive someday.
Our Battalion is still camped in the same place
& we are just about used to this funny country
not to say full up of it. At least some of the chaps
are but I would just as well be training here
 

2
as in England where the weather would be
bitterly cold at present & besides that this is an
interesting country & I have a lot to see in it yet.
Last Sunday week three mates & myself went
out to have a look at the pyramids which are
situated about nineteen miles from here on
the other side of Cairo. We went into Cairo
by electric tram & from there to the pyramids
we travelled by carraige & pair which cost us 1/-
each for a 10 mile drive. It is a lovely drive from
Cairo to the pyramids & we laid back in the
cushions & enjoyed it. I can tell you that the
Australian soldiers do things in style here.
We arrived early in the afternoon & therefore
had plenty of time to look around. We went to
the biggest pyramid which is 450 ft high &
climbed to the top of it. There are steps all the
way up but some of them are five feet high
& we found it jolly hard work. When we arrived
at the top we found it square about 30 ft each
way & on top of this great tomb we found a soft
drink stall specially erected for the soldiers
who are a thirsty lot. There is a magnificent
view from the top & well worth seeing.
 

3
Afterwards we descended & went inside. It
costs nothing for that only it is necessary to have
a guide who demanded 3 [[ ? ]] per man which was
not extorinate. After removing our boots & coat
we commenced our tour through & we found it
harder work than climbing the great building.
We first crawled along a passage about one hundred
yards long & about 3 ft high. It was pitch dark
& the small candle the nigger guide carried
did not give much light. After going through
the passage we could stand up & see better.
The guide led us through long high passages
with marble floors as smooth as glass & with
boots on we would never have been able to keep
our feet. The pyramids are very ancient buildings
& the one we were in was built 5,000 years ago
by an Egyptian ruler of that period named
Cheops who was interned in it after his death.
The guide showed us his chamber where the
coffin stand still is but the coffin & body were
stolen years ago by thieves. It was all very
interesting & worth seeing. After walking
through about 4 mile of passages as I thought
we came out again the trip having lasted one hour
 

4
I left my mates then & went down to the Mena
Camp which is only half a mile from the pyramids
to see Will. I found him allright & greeted
him like a long lost brother, he is looking
real well & the army has done him no harm
as far as health is concerned. He has only
received one letter since landing in Egypt
& wanted to know how they were all getting
on at home. I asked him why he did not call
in to see you & he told me that he intended
to do so but like all good intentions it fell through
He said that he was sorry that he did not call
in & see you. We paid a visit to Ruby’s cousin
who is in the first battalion & the three
of us went to a picture show to spend the evening.
There are two picture shows in the Mena camp
but the pictures come on in French which
makes them hard to understand.
After the pictures I returned home.
I go into Cairo once a week & I find the
city amusing if nothing else. There are soldiers
everywhere & it is marvellous how the city
& the niggers are getting Australianised. 
 

5
All the cafes & beer shops have Australian names
such as the “Pitt St Cook Shop” the “Kangaroo Dining
rooms” the “Wooloomooloo Bar” & I saw another nigger
putting up over his shop “The Little Bourke Street
High Class Cafe & Restaurant”. these names of course
have been derived from the advice of some of our
soldiers. The majority of these nigger places are
dirty foul smelling dens & the food is cooked &
prepared in a not too clean manner. I would
not eat a meal in any of them if I was paid to.
When I do want a meal I go to a European Cafe
where I can rely on everything being clean & good
& there are some good cafes in Cairo & cheap too.
The language of the niggers is undergoing change
too since the Australians came here & our slang
is catching on well, the other evening I passed a
nigger who was selling “fair dinkum”peanuts
direct from Sydney & I have often heard a
nigger call another nigger a “wowser”. Such language
has never been heard in Cairo before.
I might have told you in my last letter that
our battalion has been put in General Sir Arthur
Godley’s army division called the Australian &
New Zealand Division. We are still undergoing
 

6
a hard course of training & I think that in a
few weeks time we will be fit for the front.
My mate & myself met an Egyptian student
last Sunday & after spending the afternoon
with him he asked us to go to his home one
evening. We are going to see him on Wednesday.
It will be a strange experience for us going
to an Egyptian home. The Student can speak
English & so can his father who is an accountant
in the Public Service. The ladies here wear
veils & nobody can tell whether they are good or bad
looking.
Well Edie I must conclude. Remember me
to George & give him my best regards & best
wishes & accept my kind regards & best love
As I Remain
XXXXXXX
Your loving S. brother
Dick

Private R. Longstaff
C. Coy 13^th Battalion
4^th Infantry Brigade
A.I.F.

P.S. Send letters with old address F. Company 13^th Battn
to Victoria Barracks Melbourne