Photostat copies of letters from Major Frederick Harold Tubb to his family, 1914




Good Luck to all at St. Helena
Hello Mother Hello Father
What ho. the girls & Geoff. Fred
Mena Camp
7th battalion A.I.F.
Cairo
Egypt
Has-el-Nil
Barracks
Cairo
Egypt
8.12.14
Dear Mother and all.
I am sitting in the Hasr-el-nil Barracks
Cairo writing this. Here we are out
camped under the Pyramids (in a desert of
sand). We reached Cairo on Sunday
night last & marched out to Mena, where our camp
is now nearly erected, the Camp is 10 miles from
Cairo, where Eller & myself have just come in to
see about getting our wagons out the Camp. Frank
& I are well & doing tip top. We are very tired
having had busy times since we got off the Hororata
at Alexandria Sunday morning last. We from the
boat went entrained horses & all for Cairo reaching
the here at 8 o'clock (pm) thence to Camp (where we
bivouacked) at 12.30am Monday. The horses are
looking well we lost only one. The country from
Alexandria to Cairo & from Cairo almost to the
Camps edge is magnificent ∧from the Nile (a splendid ruin)
are irrigation channels, somewhat like Goulburn Valley
& the soil & cultivation is the best I've ever seen
fruits, dates, bananas, cotton, lucerne, etc, etc, etc,
magnificent. It is winter here. the climate is
grand (like our Autumn) cold a bit at nights &
genial in the day time. It is not bad sleeping
on the desert sand. I have sent you my diary
as I wrote it, I hope you have received it in sequence.
You would all be interested in the country. the
natives of all breeds, their ways , manners, customs
donkeys. Arab ponies vehicles etc: their cultivation
& irrigation of gardens could not be beaten. the buildings
of the larger places are large & well built. Many
aw show signs of prehistoric times. the architecture,
of the best places is antique. Puts me in mind of the
Bible & Israelilish times, I have had a good look
around Cairo. drove through it in a Cabaret, through
Egyptian, Turkish & other bazaars, the streets are
very narrow in places & full of life the gaily coloured
dresses, the different veils worn by women, & the distinctive
cast symbols, & not forgetting filth and stench in
the lower quarters make scenes creating impressions
I had lunch yesterday in Shepheards Hotel with
Lieut Eller. It cost us 42 piasters about (8/2) the
Hotel is magnificent, oriental, & expensive but
first class. The Barracks where I am writing are
splendid, large & every convenience. The Manchesters
(Territorials from England) are quartered here now
they have been here for over 3 months they are
a bit disconsolate at not getting called to the front
ere this they say we wont get there for a long
long time yet if we ever do. There is possibilities
of trouble here. Cairo etc is under the suizerionily
of Turkey. The English flag is going to be hoisted
here on Dec 21st. We may get some scrapping
here before long. We expect to get quickly into hard
training very soon. There are a lot of Australians
not yet disembarked they are still coming into
Camp. Our Camp will be about 50,000 strong
there are two other Camps not far from here beside
Indian troops & territorials besides the garrison
in the Barracks. I hope you got my several
accounts of the Sydney Emden fight
The 9th Manchesters from Lancashire under Colonel Wade
are in these Barracks. I have just been told by their
officers whom I just had afternoon tea with.
Sugar Cane, rice & other fodders grow here
luxuriantly Mother dear. I hope you are all well
at home, Many happy returns of your birthday Mummy
& the same to Elsie Lucy. Kind regards to all friends
Father would like to see this country. Take care of
yourselves all of you. Love from Fred.
Officers' Mess.
Mena Camp
Cairo
Egypt
7th BATTALION
2ND INFANTRY BRIGADE
A.I.E.F.
Xmas day.............191....
Dear Mother and all
I am writing
you all as I write this the best of Xmas
greeting. I wonder how many of you are
at home, where Charlie is, & if you have any
visitors, How are you all, I suppose
some of you went to Church, Mother stopped home
to cook the dinner as usual eh? Father &
Geoff had a walk round in the morning
Hey! what did you get in you stockings?
I never got nothin coz I never hung them
up. Ive been bit sick but am getting
better fast I'll bet Dais & Luse & the
other girls are talking some then comes
all home together without me to steady them
will be as much as you can stand eh Mother
& Father?. I wonder if you have got all
the different letters and diary notes Ive sent
home I hope you have. Ive one or two cards
from the Pyramids etc that I'll send home first
good chance I get other I think will reach you safely
Officers Mess has just gone. I will not be going
into dinner - Have been into dinner after
all. & had a real good one the tables were
laidout in keeping with the occasion
Officers' Mess.
2
6TH BATTALION
2ND INFANTRY BRIGADE
A.I.E.F.
Xmas Day.......191.....
wines cider etc etc almonds, raisins, followed
the turkeys puddings etc. It was a great feed
(& though not too good (myself) did justice to the
splendid menu. I intend now lying
down for the afternoon to recuperate.
Mother I suppose you are often
wonder how we are doing Frank
and I are getting along splendidly
the climate here is splendid this
is a great country & will improve
now further under British control.
I hope to get hold of a number of photos
that my bro officers take when I do
I will send same home. We
are getting quite used to camping near
the wonderful (truly) pyramids &
their surroundings. The officers and
men are all enjoying themselves in various
ways. Going to the Pyramids & visiting
interesting places etc. No more now Mother
hoping that you all have had a happy Xmas
& that the drought has broken etc. Looking
forward to getting letters of all home doings etc.
Love to all, Take care of yourselves from
Fred

This transcription item is now locked to you for editing. To release the lock either Save your changes or Cancel.
This lock will be automatically released after 60 minutes of inactivity.