Letters from Fred Leslie Biddle to his Family, 1914-1915 - Part 8 of 19

Mena
21.3.15

Dear Father & Mother.
I have posted this week
several unmounted photos of Camp &c in
a cardboard tube which I am sure
will interest you
The large one is the best photo of our
camp which I have seen & will give you
a good idea of our position in relation to
the Pyramids.
The hill which you see between the camp
& the Pyramids is chock full of excavations 
which have exposed all sorts of interesting things
The Sphinx is to the right & beyond the
Pyramids.
The other large one is the whole of
the Divisional Artillery command that is
3 Brigades each of 3 batteries & 1 Bde Ammn Col.
& the Divisional Ammn Col, thus comprising
the whole of the Artillery & Ammn Supply
(both Rifle & Gun).
No such assemblage of Artillery has ever
taken place in Australia.
Then there are two photos of a group of 

2

Victorian Artillery Officers present in Egypt,
And last the Brigade (2^nd) drawn up
behind the Pyramids on the way to the
Manoeuvre Ground.
The latter is an excellent effect but
in reality the two Pyramids in rear are
infinitely larger than they appear in the
Photo.
I have another large photo to come
of the officers of the Divisional Artillery
taken on the big Pyramid.
It is very badly grouped but makes a
souvenir & also serves to show the size
of the blocks used throughout the work.
The sides were originally smooth & not in
steps but the facing stones of granite & limestone
were removed some long time ago to
build the citadel & various mosques.
Saladin who fought against Richard the
Lion Heart first built the Citadel.
I have also sent you a book on
Egypt for Father.
It is splendid in its descriptions &
is very reliable.
However it is about 15 years old now
& many things are now known which were 

3
not discovered then.
The Brasswork of which I told you
is now on its way & the Cairo Express Agcy
have arranged everything
Freight & insurance is paid & you should
have no difficulty in getting the goods.
I have heard of several instances where
duty has been charged on present sent
from Australia, & of others where Customs
Officers endeavoured to obtain duty but
allowed stuff in free when protests were
made.
If you pay duty, the whole pleasure
of the gifts will be spoilt for me.
We have had it in orders that Ministerial
sanction has been given for free entry &
I have seen it in the various papers of the
Commonwealth.
I want you to kick up a row if any
attempt is made to levy duty.
Write to the papers & write to the Minister
of Defence, but make a row, not only for
self-interest but in the interests of the
large no. of men who have saved hard
to buy presents to send home to those
who cannot afford in these times to pay 

4
heavy & unexpected duties.
Isabel's letter of 17^th ult & mothers are
duly to hand.
Isabel speaks of photos. Well I've
sent you some large ones as I have told you in
the letter.
I wish now I had bought a Vest Pocket
Camera but thought we would not be allowed
to have them at the "front" & decided not to
buy one.
The most of the officers have hundreds of
snaps most of which had are interesting
I am going to make a collection out of
them & get some prints done off their negatives
McCormack had a Weekly Times sent him
last week which contained a series of photos
all taken by him
It appears a member of the Weekly Times
staff was shown a lot of them by his sister
& he asked to be allowed to pick out a few.
The paper sent Miss MacCormack £4.5.0
for them
In fact every paper has published
various photos taken by officers of this brigade
So Isabel is singing patriotic songs.
I suppose she does the stage mark-time 

5.
kicking one foot & salute at the end of
the verse (without a hat of course)
They always salute uncovered on the
stages.
However I am very glad if Isabel can
do anything to help the recruiting.
Whats wanted now in Australia is a
feeling on the part of the womenfolk that the
Young man who doesn't do his soldiering
keenly & efficiently is a " waster".
Those of us who are in the Defence Forces
know only two well that, with a few exceptions,
Compulsory Service is so far a "screaming
farce" despite "paper" clap-trap.
With the women behind it, the movement
will be as effective as the Swiss System.
There a man who doesn't do his time
efficiently is regarded as a man without any
good in him.
Now is the time to put the whole business
on a footing which will make it a huge
success
Sorry to note by Isabel's letter that
you Mother have been a bit knocked up preparing
for Estelle & other visitors but hope you she
has had a spell & is now all right 

6
We got the news of the Bombardier
being killed in Albert Park from several
sources this week
He actually enlisted in the 5^th Bty
under Caddy but he was under 21 &
his mother who is a widow refused to let
him go.
Its a strange world!
So the bowl enthusiasts are going strong
still. I hope father is  "lying the shot."
Hollis seems to be leading an easy
life. I suppose he's fatter than ever
How's the Lieut. (I suppose he got thro')
Grown six inches I suppose but hope it
is not in the head.
I wish him luck, also the budding
Bombardier.
There is still no move & we are sick
of the constant expectation.
However it's all in the game
Tell Isabel to send the song along.
It will probably reach me all right.
Best love to your own dear-selves,
Hollis Isabel the boys & Kindest regards
to all friends. (I have no time to write them).
Your affcte son
Fred 

[*NB Excuse the scrawl & haphazard letter
It's the last day I'd ever pick for
writing letters.
Fred*]

Mena
28.3.15

Dear Mother
Your letter of 24^th Feb safely to
hand.
You will be pleased to know I am
writing this in a nice dust/storm.
The wind got up last night & is now blowing
great guns & dust is everywhere both inside &
outside the tents. I put my shaving glass up
about an hour ago, & now can't see my face in it
for dust. Probably we shall have the best
part of a week of it now.
Yesterday we were visited by a plague of
locusts, direct descendants of the insect who
were so kind to Pharoah (the chap who hardened
his heart).
Of course we have seen billions of them
during the last month, but yesterday broke all
records.
For about five hours they flew over us &
if you think of the highest number you can, & multiply
that by about sixty five billions, you might get an
idea of how many there were in sight at one
time. 

2
There a big trouble in this country & all
sorts of experts are employed to try & keep them
under.
We are still playing Micawber waiting for
something to turn up.
Last week we had another straight tip
& all our baggage was packed up, wallets filled &c
& everything ready; but it was no go & now we
are gradually unpacking again
There are lots of Generals arriving & some
fine day we will wake up to find something
doing.
General Ian Hamilton arrived here about
a week ago with Brigadier Genl Ellison who did
the world trip with the former. & was in Australia
12 mos ago.
Ian Hamilton is to take the big command
of the whole lot when we make a move.
There will be British, French, & ourselves I
hear, & no doubt Indian Troops.
There seems to be no secrecy now about the
job being Turkey as everybody talks of it as a
matter of course
In fact the ordinary citizen of Cairo Knows
as much as we do (Perhaps after all, that isn't much). 

3
Sorry to read that Hollis was in trouble
with the rupture & hope he is now better.
But I think the sooner the operation is
done the better. There's bound to be trouble
later on, if he puts it off.
Hope you received the Opera Cloak &c all
right long before this reaches you.
In fact you ought to have received the
brass work by that time.
I see by the papers (Argus &c) that recruiting
is disappointing now.
Well the papers are to blame for publishing
so much clap-trap about victories every day.
For instance the continual talk of big Russian
victories, when its plain they got some very
nasty jolts & have made no progress for months.
They'll score all right later on, but it's not
a case of a triumphal march to Berlin, as the
papers would have one believe.
There have been a lot of McCormack's
snaps published in the Weekly Times, which
come out very well.
I wonder if you've seen them?
They give an idea of the life here
A cinema picture was also takeng of batteries

4
going into action & firing during our practice.
It was sent to Australia & probably would
be worth seeing.
I am going to dine with some friends
to night. (a Mr Quinn & his French wife)
When they were married he couldn't speak
French, & she couldn't speak English except for
a few odd words.
And they don't know much more I now
especially Mr Quinn, but they're a fine couple
& very fond of one another.
His French is awful, but she is getting on all
right now as she gets lots of practice with so
many Englishmen & Australians about.
Both McCormack & I are getting on well
with the 'lingo' & we are able to pay visits &
keep up a conversation for an hour or two
without getting unduly in a knot.
Well I haven't really given you any news
because there is none.
We are all sick & tired of sand, & don't
care where we go as long as we get on to some
real land. somewhere
Fondest love to Father Hollis Isabel Bruce
Noel & your own dear self
Your affcte son
Fred