Letters from Eric Roland Cotterill to his Mother, 1915 - Part 2

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At Colombo, Aden & Pt. Said I also wrote & left others with
a fellow to post somewhere, so you should receive some
of them at least. There were cards from somewhere for
all including G'gong. It occurs to me that you might
ask Doll to give those good folk all news of interest.
Your younget son seems to be a queer stick. In a
letter from Marj, she writes of his doings, he seems quite
gay. Tell him to stop where he is there are enough young
lads here with the "terriers".
They are so different to our lads. Young for the most part
they are all on the short side & to us look mere lads.
It is all very well to say the Australians run wild. but
give these lads the pay our privates receive, & they would
bid high for the lead. I have been on picket & know,
our chaps are outlaws but these "tommies" are cheeky littele
devils. Of course it is of the minority I write.
Young Edward chummed up to a private, by name
Walter Grice. He is from Manchester & is in the Lancashire
[*Territorials.*] Cavaliers & a very fine fellow indeed. They have been
here some six months & have learnt the ropes, so he
willingly acts as our guide. Having done all their hard
work they only do one parade a day so he is at our
call whenever we list.
These "terriers" are regiments all from one town. I think
his is Blackburn to be exact near Manc. & nearly all
knew one another. Rather a good idea, but only practicable
in a thickly populated country. Chaps who came from 
 

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the same county & were not in a regiment are called
Fusiliers. & we have both with us. Khaki is everywhere.
These "swarries" are paid about 1/- per day so have to watch
their finances.
I simply cant think in piastres – the cornstalks
say disasters – they seem to vanish like magic. For
a sovereign they give 97 ½ & we no sooner get them
than they are gone. If we want to buy something. the
price is quoted asay 3 or 1, & we all seem to think of
them as pence & as a consequence nearly all the mob
are unfinancial. Had I the time I could go on leave
every night when off duty, ’cos the quota of leave is
rarely filled. When a pay day comes – we have been
here a fortnight & they have paid nothing – the men
will be rushing for leave. Such will be the state
for a few days until their money is gone, & then will
be a falling away & the thrifty will have leave
whenever they require it.
How glad I am that a clerk’s chair is not mine. I
haven't the patience to complete a lettere ere rushing
on to the next.
All the little tales of home life, domestic & all, are
of interest, Send them all along for you can't imagine
how mail day is looked fore with us. It is quite
funny when giving out the mail; each man counting
as he gets one. One chap in my platoon received 12
last day. here in the one writing – a girl's too 
 

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So the papers kept a discreet silence as to our doings.
I hardly expected it & cannot quite see the necessity.
After leaving Albany we steamed with lights out yet
had only the A.E.2 as guard for the convoy.
And Harry Weaver is dead. Isn't it strange first
Sid & them Harry. I did not know he was ill.
Jimmie Coutts was out so I set him to trace Capt
Thompson & he has given me full particulars. He also
looked out Lt. Solling for me. & when I go to Mena
I intend to look them both up.
I had intended to do the camp Pyramid today
but hearing that the whole camp was out on a bivouac
stayed at home to write. Sunday is the day here.
Business is in full swing, Government & private, all
amusement places are open then if on no other day
& everybody seems to make merry. We only have a church
parade & the rest of the day free. We have also had both
Sat. afternoon off, which give us a chance to recuperate.
This is the only day leave we get so I will have to do
my sight seeing on a week-end.
I have been to Cairo twice once by day & once by
night & there is little to choose. Once I have thoroughly
seen the place of interest I won't care how soon we
move on. There is plenty to see but with a time limit
we can only skim over it.
Yesterday afternoon we set out for the Museum, but
being too late we changed over for the Citadel. 
 

5 
Who built this I know not but it looks rather
old & is in ruins in places. Now it is occupied mostly
by the Imperial army as barracks with some of the
Egyptians quartered there too. With our terrier guide
we set out through the native quarters. Just before
the place are the ruins of several mosques &c, purported
to be the work of the great Bonaparte. We slowly
climbed a hill & passed through huge iron doors
into the place. Uniform is necessary as there is a guard.
We strolled all around through the wards. billiard &
reading rooms. seeing several wounded Indian soldiers
there, - evidently from the Canal – until we were
right at the top of the hill overlooking Cairo.
What a fine sight it was. The sun was setting &
there was a slight haze nevertheless we saw a fine 
panoramic view of the surroundings. Minarets & domes
rise everywhere all over the city; if the inhabitants
were only a little more attentive there would be less
vice in the town. Away in the distance was the Nile
with sails of boats showing out. & the Pyramids over
on the other side. In the early morning it would be
a wonderful sight for this is a big city.
In the Citadel itself are many places of interest including
what is claimed as the largest mosque in the world,
This is built largely of alabaster & we are going in to
see it next day we are in town. We also saw Napoleon’s
fort built by him after the Battle of the Pyramids 
 

6 
Then we came to a deep well & found that a brick
took 4 ½ secs. to reach the ground. They try to bluff
you it is Joseph's well. It is lined with big stones
for some distance down & then hewn out of solid
rock to the bottom. It is now empty. There is a 
deeper one there but is guarded for some reason.
After the usual 'egg feed' we went to a picture show
It was a four tier house & cost us P.T.3 each for
a two hour show. The films were French but
on a smaller sheet on one side. a version of the
headings in English & Egyptian is thrown. So that all
races are catered for, The show was very good &
we enjoyed it. One night was enough of Cairo for
me so we caught the electric car for home. This a
fine car not unlike our 'Dreadnought' style with two
classes & for a half-piastre it is a cheap ride to home
for us as we travel half-fare.
I seem to have been writing all day & my hand is
cramped so will save other news till next week.
We are still doing well in all respects & wanting for
nothing of any account. Have no fears for my state of
health, it is excellent & has never been better.
My fondest love to you all, each of whom has a
fair share of my thoughts as we march along over the
desert.
To you, my mother dear, & father the fondest love of your
ever loving son
Eric. 
 

[* Read 
2 I.A.C.
G.C & R.E. *] 
Heliopolis
Saturday
20.2.15.
My dearest Mother.
No mail has arrived from your
land this week & we are told that a steamer did
not leave the week it was scheduled. Ordinarily
the Australian mail is delivered to us about
Friday & we have to post on Sunday to catch
the steamer.
Even in the three weeks we have been here we
can notice the weather becoming warmer. Our
issue of blankets is three each now but the
nights are not as cool as at first. The days
are also warmer, to-day being like those of
sunny N.S.W.
After a hard week we are having a half-holiday.
We have been granted such each
Sat. but it is as a privilege not a right we 

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are told. Anyway nearly all have taken
advantage of it & the road to the Pyramids &
Mena will be crowded as a consequence.
I haven't been to either place yet & been
here quite a while. Usually the first place 
visited is the Pyramids. Sgt. Marks & self
will probably do things well to-morrow.
Having received a portion of the money due to us
we are financially strong & so we will be able
to ignore the slow moving train service that
serves the locality & hire a turnout. These
are very fine, some having a pair of beautiful
ponies.
We were only paid a little of our back-money
as the example the first force set was a
warning to our own people., but as ours was
in Egyptian currency it sounded immense
when we heard the amount stated as so
many hundred piastres. 
 

3. 
My feet are doing well. After a strenuous day
yesterday they were only slightly sore this
morning when I put my boots on but they
soon warmed up & gave no more trouble.
Both ankles are OK in fact everything is in the
same boat.
Did I mention the band of one of the English
regiments stationed here.? It was at the
Citadel last Sat. we saw them. & the tune
they were playing was the 'British Grenadiers'
This is a well-known march but it
necessitate a fast short step & the lads were
on the move. How it tickled us. They all
wore helmets, were nearly all fair-haired
& short legged. Each bandsman was a
wee laddie about 15 or 16 & nearly all were
the one height – about up to Jack's shoulder.
Our English friend was with us; & he enjoyed
it as well as we. The sight was so 

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queer to us, used to men as bandsmen, but
we are assured that the British regiments only
have lads as musicians, altho' the same cant
be true about some of the flash permanent
ones. We laugh over it now whenever it is
mentioned.
This week has been a corker. yet I feel
fresher than when at Sydney.
We started off with a concentration march
of the division. In these all the various units
that go to form a division are ordered to
assemble at some spot a way out & each
march to the rendezvous by the shortest route.
It was just a march to test the efficiency
& readiness of all ranks, but we did not
manoeuvre.The next day we marched to
Abassia rifle range & engaged in field
firing. This was a bit heavy over the
sand after the previous day's work.
 

5. 
On Wed. morning we had a short parade &
then prepared for the piece de resistance.
We set out early in the afternoon for an
operation which was due to commence any
time after we left certain bounds, that
suited the enemy. We marched to & occupied
our position just as night was falling
& waited for the attack. We had a
fine 'posi', just where the road wound
up a hill. Directly we arrived we set
to work to prepare for the attack by
digging trenches & doing all the normal
movements. We were working under the eyes
of the general & staff so had to be slick
about it. When our defences were complete
we sent out the usual precautionary patrols
& the remainder made themselves as comfortable
as they could situate as they were. 

[* 6 *]
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Those chosen for the trenches had to
sleep there ready to fight at a moments notice
Nearby were their supports & back still
further the reserve – all resting with
full fighting outfit on all the time.
My platoon at first were with the reserve
but we afterwards reinforced our right
flank when the enemy pressed hotly
It was cold you bet out on the desert, but
being our first taste of a true mimic
battle we all enjoyed ourselves.
Everywhere we could here the sentries
challenging & the various replies.
After a long wait, just about 3 a.m.
one of our patrols brought in the news
that the enemy – one of our own brigade
battalions was approaching. It was true
enough & when there was enough light to
do so we could dimly discern them about 
 

7 
to deliver their attack. The normal hour
for this is just before dawn & our foe
were true to tactics. We had a nice little
fight until the 'cease fire' rang out & then
we gathered ourselves together. This took
some time for it is surprising how the
various units become mixed together.
When all was completed we set out for
camp well satisfied with our first
mimic fight & also that we had
annihilated the enemy.
Thursday we spent rather easily only having
a battalion parade.
Yesterday we were up betime for we knew not
what.
All these operations are carried through with
our full kit up. just as we left Liverpool without
the black kit.
To carry on yesterday morn we set out 

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for some hill betwen us and the Canal. We
noticed that all arms were out & smelt a rat.
After a long march of about three hours
in a warm sun, along a rotten road, we
halted for a hasty lunch & then the fun
began. We fought up hill & down hill for
a couple of hours, until we must have
slaughtered thousands. About five we must
have won for we formed up & set out for
home. It took nigh on four hours to reach
there but we marched in with heads up & a
good lively tune on the loud audit the
encouraging cheers of the remainder of our
camp fellows We had had a very heavy
day & had only about a dozen drop out
in the company. Today I could do another of
the same.
Time is up so will say Good-day. Love to
everyone from
the amateur war correspondent
Spagoni 
 

3 
of them It is a blessing having cool
nights after the dusty & warm day.
You wrote of the dust storm you
unfortunately endured being as dark as
Egypt; but to date the nights have been
anything but dark. We were out on
night manoeuvres this week & we might
as well have been on a barrack square
We have had a much easier week
than last. It has been private parade
work with occassional half days off. The
men are getting stale from ordinary
squad drill but are keen enough on the
field days. They are much heavier but
more interesting.
In one we left camp about 4pm
across the desert. When we came to a 
suitable position, the C.O. brought his
imagination to bear & we set to work 

4 
to prepare for defence. Although not
my duty I usually lend a hand with
a shovel, as it tends to keep the fellows
more content. Maybe with a little more
practice, a ganger's job will be within
my reach
We dug our trenches & settled down. but
it was part of the scheme that the enemy
changed position. so perforce we went
too. It was now after eight & we were
about to undertake what is probably the
hardest & most dangerous move in war.
Luckily the moon was clear but we
saw enough to recognise the immense
difficulty in keeping up communications.
After a good march we took up
another position & then set out for camp
where we arrived a.m the next day. A
cup of hot tea & a down bed –soon