Letters from Eric Roland Cotterill to his Mother, 1915 - Part 4

The Cairo Young Men's Association

WITH THE

British and Colonial Forces in Egypt.

Heliopolis

18.8.15

My Dear Mother

The last letter to you was rushed

somewhat so will try & go slow in this

Yesterday we marched out at five in the afternoon

on the usual game. Away out we halted took

up our position & awaited the onslaught In due

time it came we fought a no decision bout

& came back having been out 16 hours

We only have feet inspection & rifle to clean

to-day & then off an another stunt tomorrow.

The last night out was a clinker. The alarm

was at two a.m. & all was hurry & bustle.

Silently we formed up in the rain & set about

our task. Daybreak found us [[away?]] out past

the third old watch tower of Napoleon a

distance of about twelve mile We [[turned ?]] about

& fought our way back.

2/
Another day reveille at 5 am, move off at 6 am
then halted we were ten miles out from nowhere

on the sandy waste with one hill just like

another. Marching by prismatic compass we

set out as a Turkish army making an attack

on the oil well near Cairo. These were defended

by the [[?]] who have been here over six

months so we were up against it. They had

a grand site for defence, but having spotted

a hill that looked good [[?]]. No 8 platoon

set out for it. It was farther than it looked

& only a couple kept up with subaltern & self.

It was a lovely posi & commanded their

whole line. We sent a note to the colonel saying

that ours looked to be the key of the situation

& to reinforce us strongly When the umpire came

with the O.C. of the enemy he asked us what

we had done, & made some very complementary

remarks which made us forget our long gallop.

We were adjudged the winners on the day & the

3
[[Senior?]] Capt acknowledged we had the weakest 

spot on his line. Before this scrap was over we

sounded the assault & charged but bless me

if the terriers didn't hop out of their trenches &

counter charge with fixed bayonets also. As

our skewers are very sharp that final dramatic

touch will have to be omitted.

On a previous day we were stacked up against

a squadron of L.H. & were steadily driving them

back. Seeing that the next position they would

occupy was about a quarter of a mile back
immediately they retired to it we set sail for
the one they had vacated. This was reached
before they poked their heads up away out in
front, & when they did so we were all ready
& clean wiped them out. As they were the
advance party of the enemy, this was [[impressive?]]
& carried much praise for our platoon.
The subaltern will do me, the men will do me.
4/
& it seems each returns the compliment so
beware Kaiser Bill, for No 8 of the 13^th.
The week-end just passed I despatched a cable to
George as having the best address. We are allowed
special rate all week. ends by the Eastern Telegraph Co
so I took advantage of them. They are subject to
censor of course, so I wanted you to understand
that the despatch of cable was to mean the same
as the Xmas wire from Melbourne, & that is, we
were about to depart. Whether your thoughts
followed a similar channel I know not. It has
turned out a little previous however for we are
still here, but are ready & likely to move at any
date now. Should my cable appear in your
paper relative to our departure some days
after the the receipt of cable this letter should clear
up all doubt.
I also despatched by registered post a small New
Testament to Dolly. How we came by this is
 

5/
The Cairo Young Men's Association

WITH THE

British and Colonial Forces in Egypt.
on the inside of the cover, & I sent it to Dolly as
she is the eldest single girl at home. I already had
one so, am not depriving myself of it.
I had a look at the Zoo the other day & was
greatly pleased.It is very nicely laid out & the paths
are especially so. They are of scroll tile work, but
the working is done with colored pebble. There
is a grotto there in which this pebble work
is marvellous, a story being worked out on the
ceiling & walls.
One of the latest additions is not an animal. It
consists of a pair of pontoon taken from
the Turk on the Canal. They are of sheet iron,
very broad in the beam, & pierced in all
directions with bullet holes just like a collander.
No wonder they were repulsed. It must have
been a big task getting them across country
from Constantinople.
6
10
We have a picture show in the camp now. It
was formerly at the [[?]] camp but as they
are not as wealthy as we are, the management
moved it here. I have not been able to have a
look but it draws well every night they tell me.
Surely it is a great harvest for all in
Egypt just now. The authorities have had to
secure a big issue of new coinage to
cope with the demand, & as it is new &
bright the natives are not yet too keen on it.
They prefer the dirty old worn-out stuff.
We went on an excursion to Memphis to see
the country there & were amply rewarded. It
is [[as?]] a most exciting trip down the river in
the launch & just as lovely on the donkey.
Memphis is really covered over with drift sand
being thousands of years old. The nearest village
being [[Badudash & Sakkhara?]] It is usually by
the latter that the ruins &c are called
 

7/
On the plateau nearby are the oldest pyramids in
Egypt. They are nine in number & rather small
in comparison to those at Mena but are notable
for their age principally. One stands out alone
it is called the Step Pyr. that is instead of a
plane surface it is made of a series of terraces.
as if each block were smaller than that below.
The interiors are empty but the sights here are all
under drift sand & have only been excavated
recently. One is the tomb of [[Te?]] the [[?]] some
old time king, & judging by the picture must
have had them all under his sway.The
interior is quite smooth & covered with bas-relief
colored carving. The work is very fine
& delicate & depicts everything of moment in his
life. You can see his journey to Abyssinia his
battle there & the [[?]] [[?]] bounty & hostages.
Even the scribes keeping tally in their rolls
are shown hard at it. One could spend days
here but our visit was only about an hour, &
we will only dwell on the main features.
There also are the tombs of the sacred bull. In

older times, the bull under different names was

worshipped, & if he did not die before he was
20, his followers killed him and interred him
in these vaults. There are 24 in all. 12 on each side
of a tunnel that is 500 feet long. There is a huge
empty granite sarcophagus in each, but the contents
were taken by some old time vandals. In one
chamber the present king. late Khedive director
of course we all had to get in [[?]] personally.
I think there is more to be seen at Akhenaten
at Mena.
Still able to [[?]] healthy, happy in the remarks
column, with prospects bright.
Love to all from 

Your one & only
Eric.
 

[*Perused by Roseville*]
The Cairo Young Men's Association

WITH THE

British and Colonial Forces in Egypt.
Heliopolis
28.3.15
My dear Mother.
No letter this week from home
perhaps you missed the mail. Probably there
will be two next time.
We are still training but not so regularly
We have one [[?]] & big field day
per week now, one rest day & usually a
practice at striking camp hurriedly as if
we were off in earnest.
We do everything just as if we were off
& I fully expect that when we do go it
will be exactly the same. So to be safe
if we are ordered to put on full
marching order I do so. [[Doing?]] [[will?]] have
[[?]] loosely in their valise & so
have not to carry the other articles
such as a spare shirt & sox. Should
they be caught here there will be a great
uproar for our black kit bags with
2/
our surplus clothing is always left behind
which seems to intimate Alexandria
as our base.
The buildings here that are suitable are
used as military hospital & only today
there was a para. in the papers stating
that it had been decided to occupy
another large school.
One of my men has just returned after
having his corns carved out, & he
says they are situated on the sea beach
& are well fitted out. Most of the nurses
seem to be Anglo. Indians & he doesn't care
for them but he has a soft spot for our
own nurses at Heliopolis.
There is No 1 Aust. General Hospital fitted
out & womaned by our little continent.
The building is immense & a model of
architecture. Heliopolis is rather a swagger
suburb in the tourist season so a syndicate
decided to build a Casino. They erected
 

3/
a splendid building nearly as fine as the
Sultan's palace. Were it occupied it would
be the largest hotel in the world, but
the owner failed to secure a license so they
went bankrupt. Those who have been
there rave over its beautiful staircases
& rooms, but I can only judge from the
exterior. It is built in Eastern style & is
a particularly stately pile.
Our people stepped in & now it is
their general hospital.
Cpl. Edward returned today from
there after having his adenoids cut out,
& he says that most of the patients suffer
from temporary deafness. It is not the
[[?]] for they are silent here. Were
they not this land would be unbearable
for we are surrounded by [[?]].
There is a Lt. G.G. Gordimer here. He
knows us by repute or from [[?]] &
one night when I was on picquet duty
4/
with him till the early hours of the morn.
we had a long yarn together. He is a fine
big fellow himself & very nice in manner.
He was yarning to me this afternoon & told
me that with the reinforcements who arrived
this week were Harold George of Paddo,
a Fred Thompson from that way, & a
fellow by name [[?]]. All three are
well known as footballers & we know
George at least. Perhaps father may
remember Thompson. They are full-blown
private & Gardiner is trying to work them
into his platoon in our company.
Day after day our camp is thronged with
new-comers, anxiously seeking a brother or
friend. No one had found me yet but maybe
they will. I would like to have a talk to
a body who has left there before after we did.
We are writing in our mess huts & it is
like an examination room.
There is a sergeant here, Dave Williamson,
 

5.
The Cairo Young Men's Association

WITH THE

British and Colonial Forces in Egypt.
an old Fort S^t. lad. He has just returned
from an old cemetery nearby, that was the
burial ground for an ancient city. The
fellows contrary to regulations take picks
over there & search for old relics. Dave has
a long string of colored porcelain beads
that must be at least 2000 mile old. They
bring back pottery, skulls & relics of all kinds.
The city is said to be the university city of
On where Moses received his education.
We had an interesting journey last Saturday
About three mile from here is a spot that
figures largely in olden history. It is the
spot where the Virgin Mary rested on the
flight to Egypt. The well from which
they drank is guarded always by natives
who offer visitors water which is
wonderfully clear & cold. Handy to the
well is a gnarled & knotted old tree
the one under which Mary rested. Whether
6/
this is the exact tree or not, no one can say
but it is certainly very old & is on the exact
site if not the tree. It is propped up in all
ways & fenced off, & the authorities have fenced
xx a similar sapling off to take its place.
After a deal of cajoling, threatening & bribing
three of us managed to secure a piece of tree.
We then visited the old church, which is
famous for its paintings & sculpture. On
the wall are six huge paintings of incidents
in the flight of Mary & Joseph. There is the
the birth of the [[?]], slaughter of the innocents,
the angel warning them to flee, crossing the desert
to Egypt, resting at Heliopolis & on the Nile.
The tree as painted hundreds of years since
is similar to the one here now.
The statuettes chiefly depict the main incidents
connected with the Crucifixion.
This [[?]] is very notable & is visited by
pilgrims from all the world, the register being

well thumbed & written in.
 

7/
Another object of interest is a huge granite
obelisk standing in the midst of cultivation.
It is miles from the river & hundred of
mile from the nearest granite deposits, & the
theory is that it was floated down in flood
time. The base is about six feet square &
is about 17 feet lower that the field
around it. Parts of it near the top have
been chipped off & it is covered with characters.
Whilst here we had a couple of visits
to the fellaheens.
The whole family seem to go into the
cabbage patch with the old man for each
had all his domestic [[?]] & his family
near to where they were working.
Both were ploughing with the old wooden type
drawn by oxen. Just imagine this thing on
virgin ground in the back block. [[?]] a
few roots & rocks for fun in the paddock.
The soil is [[?]] black stuff & the
plough just turns it over. This implement
8/
is about as ancient as anything here excepting
the motor wheels. It is like this.
The thick upright limb and the handle
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
poked in is to enable the ploughman to gauge
the depth of the furrow. At the bottom is a
joint of wood ^(A) with a piece of steel on the
nose underneath. The "slow pump" is the shaft
with the [[single?]]. free attached. All parts
are joined together with lashings & are as
crude as possible. Our laughter caused
the [[donkies?]] much enjoyment, but I suppose
as his forefathers used these he must too.
what they would do at the sight of a
traction plough I couldn't imagine.
The water wheel to irrigate was quaint.
Turning their were a camel & buffalo. Both
were enclosed in a covering over the head
& neither was fast, We were betting as to
which was the faster, but neither had gained
an appreciable advantage when we left.
We cried them all off.
 

(9)
The Cairo Young Men's Association

WITH THE

British and Colonial Forces in Egypt.
On another rest day we set out to see [[these?]]
things in the day. We took a gharri to
the Citadel, & made straight for the mosque.
This place named after the builder
Mahomet Ali is a copy of one in
Constantinople & is a particularly fine copy.
Before entering we had to hire huge
slippers & having done so & hired a guide
we went in. In the courtyard is a huge
fountain over a very deep well. The [[?]]
our mouths to an aperture in the top &
hollered for the echo is a well-known one.
The fountain is necessary for these folk
wash their hands & feet before
prayer which take place five times a day.
The clock on the tower was presented
by Phillip of Spain, the gent Queen
Mary turned down. The Citadel itself
was built by the [[?]], namely by the
Saladin of Coeur de Lion's [[?]].
10/
11
[*Tuesday 28th*]
We next entered the mosque. It is built of
alabaster throughout, excepting four huge
pillars supporting the dome & minaret.
These are not of alabaster as it would not
carry the weight but are coloured similarly.
Behind a gold cage on the right of the
entrance is the builder's tomb. Prayers are
said five times a year & the Khedive
used to enter here as his first step in
the proceedings. [[?]] Ali was the first K.
of Egypt. Whether the Sultan will follow
I didn't enquire. The whole floor space
is covered with matting & [[?]] rich red
carpet of fine [[?]] design. From the
roof are hundreds of globes - now electric.
What a magnificent sight it must be
when alight. There are huge  candelabra
from the centre of each dome & globes
everywhere also. Alabaster is a great sight
when a match is held behind a fluted
column so this must be wondrous.
 

11/
Open roof is a mass of colouring - all the
windows are, but one row. The glass came
from Italy, & one row is colourless. If that
is for light, the whole effect is spoiled.
Only there were a crowd of Indian soldiers
at their devotions, I would have been been on
the broad of my back gazing at the roof.
The altar of course is on the east & like
all others is let in to the side. In answer
to my query the guide stated the reason for
so doing was to enable the blind to find it
& then know the East. We thoroughly enjoyed
it but had to fly off on our [[?]].
The guide was very anxious to show us the
blue mosque. This is now used as a school
as we have taken many of their buildings
& boys were everywhere. It was the wall we
were here to see however for they are
covered with blue tiles from China.
However they came here no one seems to
know exactly for they are hundreds of years
12/
old. In many matters the builders of this place
- he seems to be a [[?]] - built a home
for his principal servants & here they still
are in a tile sarcophagus.
From here we drove through some of the
crookedest & noisome, & most evil smelling
streets of Cairo to the Museum, but as
I was half a sleep, I will reserve this
for next letter.
All the words you can't decipher make
a note of & I will replace them later
meanwhile they will provide a little
diversion for the family in the winter.
To be candid I have not the patience
to write carefully.
Still fine and dandy
And love to all from
Your ever loving boy
Eric