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

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Open for review

Accession number:

RCDIG0000222

Difficulty:

At Colombo, Aden & Pt Said, I also wrote & left there with

a fellow to post somewhere, so you should receive some

of them at least. There were card from somewhere for

all including G'gong. It occurs to me that you might

ask Doll to give those good folk a queer stick. I've a

letter from Mary, she writes of his doings, he seems quite

gay. Tell him to stop where je is there are enough young

lads here with the "Services".

They are different to our lads. Young for the most part

they are all on the short side & how look were lads

It is all very well to say the Australian 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 "homme" are shady little

devils. Of course it is of the minority I write.

Young Edward chummed up to a private, by name

Walter Grica. He is from Dorchester & is in the Lancashire

~~Guards~~ & 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 as he is at our

call whenever we list.

These "terriers" are registered all from one town. I think

his is Glockburn to the east near Monc. & nearly all

knew one another. It is a good idea, but only practicable

in a highly populated country. Chaps who came from

the same county & were not in a regiment are called

Fusiliers & we have both with us. Khahki is everywhere.

These "swarries" are paid about 1/- per day so have to watch

their finance.

I simply cant think in piastra & the cornstalks

say disasters - they seem to vanish like magic. For

a sovereign they give 97 1/2 & we no sooner get them

than they are gone. If we want to buy something the

price is quoted say 3 or 1, & we all seem to think of

them as pence & as a consequence nearly all the most

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 chair is not mine. I

haven't the patience to complete a letter were rushing

on to the next.

All the little tales of home life, domestic & all, are

of interest, find them all along for you can't imagine

how mail day is looked for 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

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 sorry Neorer is dead Isn't it strange first

Sid & then Harry. I did not know he was ill.

Jimmie Coulles was out so I set him to have 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 Pyra mid 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 there is on no other day

& everybody seems to make merry. The only have a church

parade & the rest of the day free. The 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 sightseeing on a week end.

I have been to Cairo I went once by day & once by

night, there is little 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

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 a barracks with some of the

Egyptians quartered there too. With out terrier guide

we set out through the native quarters. Just before

the place are the ruins of several mosque & c, purported

to be the work of the great Bonaparte. We slowly

climbed a hill & passed through huge iron door

into the place. Uniform is necessary as there is a guard.

We strolled all around through the wards, hills &

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 alabasters & we are going in to

see it next day we are in town. We also saw Napoleons

fort built by him after the Battle of the Pyramids.

Then we came to a deep well & found that a brick

took 4 1/2 sec. 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. This 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 running of the

headings in English & Egyptian is shown 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 piastra 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 to next week.

We are still doing well in all respects & wanting for

nothing of any amount. 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 other dear, & father the fondest love of your

ever loving son

Eric

Heliopolis

Saturday

10.2.15

My dearest Mother

No mail has arrived from your

land this week & we are told that 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 her we

can notice the weather becoming warmer. Our

issue of blankets is three each now but the

nights are not a 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

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. Monks & 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 hours service that

serves the locality & hire a turnout. These

are very fine, some having a pool of beautiful

ponies.

The men only paid a little of our back money

as the example the first force set was a

[[?]] to our people, but as ours was

in Egyptian environs it sounded immed

when we heard the amount states as so

many hundred piastres.

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 ankle 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 honour march but it

necessitate a fast short step& the lad were

on the move. How it tickled us. They all

wore helmets, were nearly all fair-haired

& short legged. Each bandsman was a

nice laddie about 15 or 16 & nearly all were

the one height - about up to Jack's shoulder.

Our English friend was with is, & he enjoyed

it as well as we. The sight was so

queer to us, used to men as bandsmen, but

we are around 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

[[?]].The next day we marched to

Abassian rifle range & engaged in field

firing. This was a bit heavy over the

sand after the previous day's work.

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. The men working under the eyes

of the general staff a=so had to be slick

about it. When our defences were completed

we sent out the usual precautionary patrols

& the remainder made themselves aa comfortable

as they could situated as they were.

Those chosen for the trenches had to

sleep there ready to fight at a moments notice.

Nearby were their supports & buckshees

for 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 [[?]]

battle we all enjoyed ourselves.

Everywhere we could her the sentries

challenging & the various replies.

After a long wait, just about 3 hrs

one of our patrols brought in the news

that the enemy - on of our own brigade

battalion was approaching. It was here

enough & when there was enough light to

do so we could duly discover them about

to deliver their attack. The normal hour

for this is just before dinner & our foe

were here 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

minnie fight & also that we had

annihilated the enemy.

Thursday we spent rather easily only having

a battalion parade.

Yesterday we were up behind 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

for some hill between us and the Canal. We

noticed that all armies 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 thousand. 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 head up & a

good lively tune on the band and it be

encouraging cheer 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

[[?]]

of them. It is a blessing have cool

night after the dusty & warm day.

You write 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 manoeuvre 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

to prepare for defence. Although not

my duty I usually lend a hand with

a shovel as it tends to keep the fellows