Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1915 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG0000957
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

ehe Saturday 20/2/15 Alb at home. I received your letter, the one that was addressed to Egyht about a week after we landed, but the one that sena send I got it over a fortnight after we landed. Egipt is a barren country you can look for suiles without recing a hree The city of Cario is not a bad place to loot at there are some very grand buildings. You would hardly creait the structer of them. I am sending a back & front view of the Palare Hotd. It is now turned into a hospital there are ,000 rooms in the building I am sending a few handherchiess + some post cards. They are mostly views of the places I have reen The streets of Caris are only sand but the sand is cleared away & the road mitatled. the sunforcement have joined the baltation & they went for their first march the next day It was a march & thermish contined on the Sharka disert & it is a desert with a vingeance for the land is up to your andlo
all the way. We were out for about eleven hours and covered about shrity wites not instuding the shumishing We were all pretty tired when we arrived back to Camp. We stept tell 7-30 next morning & then event out into the disert again & began to dig fighting trenches I huppose by the time you receive this letter we will be inlanother strange land, for we have been told the we have to be in France within four weeks is we will bee some of the from yet. It is getting very tiresome, jun doing the same worts day intday but I was laid up with pains & cramps in the legs & stomack but tey are gone now It is very hot in the day time + gets cool all of a sudden towards evening & very near fron befoe morning. Sestie I & some other Light Horre men event across the mountairs to the place called the Deaa City White going there we passed man shetelors of human beings the wind had blown the sand away & left the bones laying the same as when they were put in the grave. Where on the mountains 0009
8 you could secthe Pyamics in the distance We went through the Citidel & Mosque It is turned into a Base Hospital quarded by the Mancherter men. On the door ste stp is wtill seen the blood stains where some men were executed There are a number of large cannon trained over the old eity. When we left the citidel we could iee the for that was supposed to have been built by Napotion, & his men in fourteen hours It was built for to bombard the intidel. When we left we went through the old city and could see where the dirt had been cleared off the houses I hundred upon hundreds of graves. They were just plain graves buiched uf. The cdy was very quiet without hardly a soul about We kept tramping up till six oclock to we had a good day of it. There is not much more to say for I suppose you have received my other alter & few post cards by now It is getting near bed time but that is morning to you So Twill now close
witht love from Garge My address is Sqt. G. Hunay Reg No 1379 14 Bat fift boy 4th Brigade and Exp. Forc Egypt ADRS2l
Helcopolis 41.395 Deear Sim I received your weekly better by the last wait, and will answer to now for I do not know when I will have the chame again The third continuet have landed but I have not seen any of them yet for they are out at the Byramds We had one of the 14th mendie He was the fiest that has died rime we left durtratia. His company mached to the funeral & the band played. There was the shots fixed ovr him & the last post played on the bugles We are geting tin of Egyft for you cannotgo any distance without ls up to your book toys in sand but I sppose when we armein the finy live we will wish that in never oft Gypt I have let my monstashe grow + it is looking very willl for the first
aepeld a w4t or cans wrw a mdeptiy received several letters from Wanach & three from home Sena is tryin to goin the Rild Cross and come out here. It would be a rough life for I have seen some of the men who have been inaction & they are knocked about a bit but thatot is what can duly be ispected I have not much to say for the mail leaves shortly so I will now you With tove from George No2 boy 14 Bak Egy
Helropolis 1413/15 Dear Dad I received your letter by the last mail and ree by it that things are not too good The first man to die simce we left stust- died in the Hatitay Hospotal He had a Noihlay funeral. His Company marched and the band played at the grave nide The customary salute was fired over the grave. The native funerals are funy concern They have runners before the coffin which is carried on the shoulders of four men. When they arrive at the grave they take the body out of the offin and bury at that way & take the coffir back for to wast till nex time it is wanted I have seen most of the men that have left home but I do not know it there are any warract boys in she third contingent-which arrived about the 12th xcu I am letting my
monstarke grow. It is coming on very well I got la letter from firn + he told me all his woes. He said he has trud till he was tired to get away but all to no good. When this letter reaches you I do not know where I will be for we are to move off at any time, for the troops are getting a con tentede at bang kept here. I have not seen Les for a fortnight; but I got a better from him He had not shon joined his squadton There is not much to say so I will now close With love to all at home from George I received Hetta & Lena's Letters the same time received yours hat thews will have to wait a for the mail is about to close I am sending a couple of pacels by regitored port by this mail
58 eba Heliopols 20/3/15 All at home Ireceived your ever welcome letter by the last mail. It was mislan and I got it a few days after all the other mail was given out. When we are leav ing the sands of Eggpt No one seems to know. Mort of us are getting tined of marching across the desert the faire rain we have eeen since we landed fell the second wiek in March. Dt was not much but it laid the duit & made she marching eary for a couple of days. I have seen some grand nghts later being through come of the older places around Egyfr Jach Elliott is a Tergeant now. He has been made Hergeart Thoe Maker and he has goe a good job for he goes inso Caso evey morning & makes his staff

Egypt

Saturday

20/2/15

All at home.

I received your letter, the one that was addressed to

Egypt about a week after we landed, but the

one that Sera sent I got it over a fortnight

after we landed. Egypt is a barren country

you can look for miles without seeing a tree.

The city of Cairo is not a bad place to look at There 

are some very grand buildings. You would hardly

credit the natu structure of them. I am sending

a back & front view of the Palace Hotel. It

is now turned into a hospital. There are

1000 rooms in the building I am sending a

few handkerchiefs & some post cards. They are

mostly views of the places I have seen

The

streets of Cairo are only sand but the trucks

sand is cleared away & the road mutatted.

The

reinforcements have joined the battalion & they

went for their first march the next day

It was a march & skirmish combined on the

Sharha desert & it is a desert with a

vengeance for the sand is up to your ankle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kimberley Hayes Kimberley Hayes
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