Letters from Norman Griffiths Ellsworth to his Mother, 1914-1915, Part 11 of 27

Mena Camp, 
Cairo,Egypt, 
31^st March 1915.

Dearest Mother & all at Home,
Another line or two as there is a 
Mail closing tomorrow morning for Australia, so I though I 
wouldn't miss the opportunity, altho' I have already written 
to you this week. I have been wondering if you get my letters 
regularly each week, because I haven't missed writing to you 
any week since we arrived in Egypt. We had our Xmas 
dinner on the Sahara & there is nothing surer than we will 
have Easter Dinner on it too. We have to put up with some of 
the most disagreeable pests imaginable, now that the summer 
is so rapidly coming on. First there is the Flies : They would 
not only make a Parson swear, but would probably induce 
him to become a Bullock driver immediately, in order that 
he could express his sentiments about them in more 
comforting language to himself. Words simply fail one to 
describe the way they they annoy one. Persistency must be their motto. 
They are only removed by violence to return again at 
once. 
Mosquitoes are another curse which we have to put up 
with & at night time, it is a misery to go to bed. We 
have been compelled to put chaff bags over our heads 
when we go to bed to try & dodge the "cows", & of course

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it is nearly impossible to go to sleep under these conditions, 
& one simply has to lie awake & listen to them lobbing on 
the outside of the chaff bag. No matter how expert one 
tries to cover his head , they can get in & then one has 
to uncover to drive the "cows" out to the accompanyment 
of very strong language. Even at the early hours at 2am 
one can hear the other chaps going "crook" & Yardley 
generally gets up & walks about smoking a cigarette, 
too disgusted to speak to anyone. 
Locusts have invaded Egypt in trillions & altho' they 
don't get out as far as the Desert, they swarm through 
the cultivation and ruin the crops. 
The Dust Storms , well, I simply can't describe them 
to you. St Kilda Rd on a "Northerly Buster" Day is 
a pleasant refreshing breeze , compared with what we 
have to put up with . It is quite impossible to see any 
further than 2 feet, & when one makes for his tent to try 
& get shelter, he not only finds it gone , but all his 
clothes & equipment quite buried in the sand . 
Meals, on these days , are a pleasure, & when the 
stew is brought from the cook shop (providing, of course, 
the cook has been able to cook one) it is adorned by 
layers of dust, straw and all kinds of filth which comes 
with the storm, it is quite a dissappointment if there

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is not at least 1 inch of dust in the bottom of ones cup. 
Well, Mother enough of this grumbling , now for the other 
news. We had a fine inspection by General Sir Ian 
Hamilton this week. There were present the 4^th Light 
Horse Regiment 1,000 strong, The Divisional Artillery which 
consists of 3 Brigrades of 3 Batteries & an Ammunition 
Column in each & a Divisional Ammunition Column as 
well (5,000 all told) & the Divisional Engineers with 
their Tool carts & Pontoon bridging wagons & all their 
War equipment . We were all formed up in line & 
inspected & then marched past. First, came the 
Light Horse in line of squadrons of 100 in each line 
They looked splendid & their dressing was fine . 
Then came the 1^st Field Artillery Brigade (N.S.Wales) 
in line of batteries 12 guns in each line & the 
waggons following in rear. We, the 2^nd F.A Brigade 
followed in the same formation, & after us came the 
3^rd Brigade. The Engineers followed in rear & brought 
to a finish a sight I would have liked you to have 
seen. All the men & horses were at their best. 
Monday, I had charge of a gun carriage in a funeral 
of Private Pickles of the 1st (N S Wales) Field Ambulance 
To-day, we buried one of our Drivers (Charlie Newman) 
of Coburg & the whole battery turned out & gave

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him a Military Funeral. I had the task of breaking 
in the Firing Party for Sergt Moon, to whose subsection 
he belonged. Moon was quite unequal to the 
occasion & as Dowsett knew just enough to leave 
it alone, I fell in for it, & altho' I say it myself, the 
boys shaped fairly well. We brought the coffin 
from Mena House & placed it in a Tram & proceeded 
to Giza tram terminus, where the gun carriage with the 
team which Newman drove in, hooked in, & the 5^th Infantry 
supplied a band, so we made quite a decent little 
show. The motley Arab crowd which had congregated 
were soon dispensed, with much confusion, by the 
native police. Tomorrow, we take part in a Tactical 
Scheme, so I will turn in now, as it is Reveille at 
4.30am, I'll not get too much sleep. 
Well, Mother, I hope you are all well & all 
relations. Give my kind regards to all enquirers 
& tell them that I am grateful for their remembrances 
I am in the pink of condition, so am perfectly 
happy. I've had no mail this week, but expect it 
tomorrow. Well, I'll conclude with the best of 
love to all at home & an extra ration for yourself 
from your loving son 
Norman

Mena Camp,
Cairo, Egypt.
4^th April 1915.

Dearest Mother & all at Home,
Just a line to let you
know that we have finished our training here, and are
about to leave for the Front & nothing could give me
more infinite joy than to tell you this glorious news.
Most of the Infantry & Light Horse have left
here & the first portion of the Artillery leave here first
thing tomorrow morning. We are only taking rations
for two days so we expect to land in the Dardanelles
or some other handy place & there pick up
the remainder of the Allied Forces under the command
of General Sir Ian Hamilton. We are to go away
with every vehicle crammed full of shells & 50 rounds
of rifle ammunition are to be carried on every man, &
as we have been told that we will probably land
under fire, we are full of joyous expectancy.
Every one of us is quite a different man & are
as keen as mustard since the news came.
I have promised myself to lay & fire the first
shot against the enemy, who ever they are.
We have clipped all our horses this week & I
might state that I have become an expert hand
at the game, as I did quite a number in my "Sub".

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Well, Mother, I am sorry to tell you that some
of the Maoris & New Zealanders & a few Australians
played up in Cairo the other night, & several houses
of ill fame were burnt to the ground. The military
police charged the crowd & several people were
injured. All leave has since been stopped & of
course, this was to be expected. Most of the men
who took part in the Riot belonged to the newly
arrived contingents, as the first lot were all out
on bivouac that night. We spent Easter very quiet
& had a holiday on Good Friday. The meals were
as usual, very plain so we went to a cook shop
run by an Englishwomen, in Camp, & had a jolly
good feed for 5 piastres (1/-). Well, Mother, I haven't
any more news at present as I wrote a long
letter last week. I will try & write as often as I
can to you, but we expect everything to pass thro'
censor, so I will not be able to say much.
I will now assure you all that I am at
present about to enter in the joy of my life, & one of
my highest wishes have been gratified.
So with the best of love to you all at
Home Sweet Home. I remain
Your loving and happy Son
Norman.

[*P.S. I hope to meet our
George at the Front
sooner or later
Norman*] 

[*Don't forget the dinner
when we come home, Mum 
____________________
Onion stuffing
__________
What o *]