Correspondence relating to Leslie Cecil Maygar, 1915-1918 - Part 1

Passed
L C Maygar
Heliopolis

Cairo
31^st Dec- 1915
My dear Old Nell
I received your
more than welcome letter dated 20^th Nov
with pleasure & delight. yesterday also five in
all by this mail from Strathearn two from
Edmund and three from darling mater
expect to get another big mail before
long Parcels Xmas dinners etc, tons of same
floating about somewhere probably at
Base Depot Alexandria, however it will
all come along in time - I think that
I have received all letters from home
up to date. Well Nellie dear you will be
glad to know that I am back in Egypt
once again, it is the most glorious climate

in the world to winter in "so there you are"
Of course you will know from the Papers
by this the fact that we have withdrawn
our Troops from Gallipoli - We are busy,
heaps of work for all, reforming Brigade
 

2.
We will probably get a move on as soon as
we are ready - of course you know that I have
left the dear old 4^th L. Horse, now Commanding
8^th L. H. Regt. 3^rd L.H. Brigade. I am fit and
in excellent form, everybody tells me that I
have put on condition, of course soldiering
is an easy life for me, take everything all
as a matter of course without worr^ying, the
man who worries at this game, soon goes under
Well dear girl you can feel proud of
your Australian soldiers, the landing of
our troops last April at Anzac Gallipoli
was a magnificent achieveme^nt in every sense
way -  but our withdrawual was marvellous
piece of military strategy probably never
equalled in all the annuals of history, we
withdrew on the last two nights ove 42,000
men from under the very nose of as brave and
alert ^an enemy as ever troops had faced. in many
places trenches only from 10 to twenty yards apart
this embarkation took place during clear mooneight
nights, without a single casualtiey
there wasere arrangements & preparations made
 

3
to treat 20,000 casualties if occassion had
arisen for us to have got a hard knock, which
we would if the Turks had ofof had any idea of
what our movement was, I fancy they had an
idea that there was something doing, but expected
a big attack from us - however have heard
that they shelled & kept up a heavy fire on
our deserted trenches until two (2) O'clock
the following day, when they charged the
trenches with fixed bayonets & found no one
to welcome them, an awful sell was it
not - I had my usual good luck to be given
the Command of last Party to pull out of
the trenches, the post of honour for 3^rd L. H. Bde
The last night consisted of 3 Parties A. B. C
A. Party left at 6.P.M. B. 10 oclock C at 2-15 pam
My C. Party consisted of three Machine Guns 40
men of all ranks, our job was to hold our post
at any cost until 2.15 a.m, quess if they had
of attacked we would have held our position
alright, never had the slightest doubt of the
result. We arrived at our place of
embarkation at 3 a.m, discipline
told from start to finish there
 

4
there was not the slightest mistake or
confusion, all parties carrying out their
various jobs quietly without any unnecessary
excitement or noise - excellent staff
work and splendidly carried through
by all concerned. No doubt you have
read all about in the papers failure of
attack advance launched from Suvla
Bay in August last. Suvla Bay was on
our extreme left, why this movement
was a failure it is not for me to write
however after that move miscarried it was
not much use us hanging on ay any longer
in Galliopoli - Edmund may be interested
in all this matter. I sent a Cablegram
to mater today New year greetings, this is the
2^nd New year Cable that I have sent Strathearn
from Cairo & hope I will have the luck to be
back here to send one for 1914; tis a year tomorrow
New Years days since receiving official notification
that I had obtained my Majority so you see two
steps in rank for twelve months is alright I have
everything to be thankful for my good luck
what do you think dear girl the same I guess
 

5

Good night

Yours lovingly

Leslie
5
I had I received a very long einteresting
letter from dear Old Dr Bill he is a sterling
old chap alright, he writes a good letter too
also enclosed was a short letter from Blanche
she said she wouldn't write a long one as
"George" was writing for all she was
worth and would give me all the news
one meets almost everybody you ever
heard of here in Cairo Doctor Springthorpe
and Charles Ryan & scores of others  
met yesterday - Poor old Willis it was
awfully sad especially for Emm & Ken
I am very sorry for them - I am glad to
know you are having such a good
season at Strathearn I wouldn't mind
if I could land home to be with you all
loved ones for a fortnight it would be
lovely - Well Nellie darling I have written
you a rambling sort of an epistle this
night so will switch off and go to bed
have a big comfortable tent all to myself that
comes of being a C.O. With special fond love to dear
Mater & your dear self and all at Strathearn
 

P.S.

Will write to Edmund

shortly

Les

Derry Post

20^th April 1916
By dear Mater
I am wondering how
you are, as Edmund said in his
last letter that you were not very
well, but bright and smiling as
usual, well darling mother I pray
that you will improve a lot now that
the nice mild Autumn weather will be
setting in at Strathearn, cheer up
dear heart and get strong again
as your Soldier Boy is looking forward 

to the day when you will welcome
him home, with your bright and happy
smiling loving face, We have had
a good mail in today, the boys in
the lines are always in great heart
and spirits, when their letters from
home arrive, I am awfully glad that
you have had such a good season
I can picture Dear Old Strathearn
looking lovely, the roses will be
superb, and all the rest of the
Grounds must appear beautiful
 

2
Well mater dear we Maygar's have
never envied anyone their homes, as
Strathearn has always been good
enough for us, has it not. By todays
mail I received two letters from Edmund
and also one from Ernest, and a good
few others from my lady friends etc.
now don't laugh as it is quite alright.
I hope Nellie gets the parcel I sent to
her from Cairo, as it should have arrived
before this. We are getting along alright
here in the sands of Sinai, doing Patrol
work, a Squadron of 9^th AL.H with one of
my Officer and twelve men went out to
Jiff Jaffa about 70 miles from our front
line, attacked and captured a Turkish outpost
of 40 men We had one casualty only
I am sorry to say it was my Corporal who
was killed; the Turks had six killed & five
wounded. Our horses are all in fine condition 

Ned & Dick splendid both grand
hacks. I am as usual in good form &
health. Captain George Lydiard called
in to see me today, he is looking well.
Good bye for the present Mater dear
With fondest love to thee, & all at Strathearn
Leslie
 

L C Maygar

El Arish
2/2/17
My dear Edmund
just a few lines to
let you know that all is well
Received your very welcome letter
of 21^st December by last mail a
few days ago - I was awfully
sorry to hear that the blessed wool
press had come down on you &
hurt your shoulder I sincerely pray
that it is alright again before
you get this - Give my love and
greetings to Emm & Ken - We are
still in Camp here in Hod Masaid
This is the very spot that Ibraham
Pasha was Camped in with his Army
when the Great Napoleon came up and
defeated him. The Turks then fell back
on El Arish which was a much bigger
town than at present, after Ibrahams
defeat just at dark Napoleon called
his Generals together & told them that
El Arish must be taken & Ibrahams
Army routed before daylight, however
his Generals cried out impossible
 

2

our troops are all exhausted after
our long forced march and hard
fighting here, Napoleon replied it is
my will & my orders are to be obeyed
Atar The town was taken during the night
and the Turkish troops utterly routed, I
could tell you many stories of Naps
March across the desert here, he was
just a marvel in many ways.
Well old Chap the Australian mail
closes here in a few minutes so
must conclude with love to all
at Strathearn wishing you no
end of good luck
Yours Always
Sincerely

Leslie

 

El Arish
18/2/17
My dear Edmund
Received your very welcome
letter of 31^st Dec. a few days ago. I thank
you for all your kind New Year greetings
& tha with you & all at Strathearn the
same - I trust the holiday visit to Strathearn
will do Emm & Ken no end of good
please give them my love & good wishes
It is awfully good of Ernest to go
over to help you with the Dipping, he is
a good old Chap, is he not, I hope you
have got over all effects of bad shoulder
long ere this. I will be leaving here
for Cairo this evening going up for 3 day
leave, I missed the trip to Luxor from
Romani last November the day that my
leave was granted for, the order to move
to the front line again came along so
I let the leave go as I had no wish
to miss a stunt dont you know. I am
awfully glad to know that you have got
such abundance of grass or Strathearn
perhaps you will have the chance of