Letters relating to Oliver 'Trooper Bluegum' Hogue, 1915-1927 - Part 6

28/10/16
The Desert
My dear Whyte.-
So pleased to get yours
of Sept 9, & to hear all the news.
We are having rather a quiet time
now & Ive taken advantage of it by
having a 3 weeks course at the
Imperial School of Instruction at Zietoun.
You'll be pleased to hear that I did
not disgrace Australia. There were over
120 officers in the class & I came
out near the top of the list.
I got a distinguised pass in the 4
musketry exams ; 92, 97, 95, 97,  = 95.25
& First class pass in all other subjects.
The new campaign is being arranged but
Im not allowed to hint anything about
it. Youll hear of it in due course.
I was offered a 'base job' in
England last week but on a/c of
the new campaign I hated to
pull out, so I turned the offer down.
21

2  Am hoping for plenty of 
excitement in the new stunt &
will send you an account of it 
if I have the chance.

Re the new book. Ive been so 
very busy lately that Ive not been 
able to churn out a single line. 
I'll let you have an article on the 
musketry soon.

For the book you can use any of 
the articles Ive sent since returning 
to Egypt or any Egypt articles 
which have not appeared in the 
Bluegum book. The book need 
not have too many articles. I 
reckoned on the illustrations being 
the main attraction. 
However Ill send a few articles
along soon.

I get letters from Kathie very 
regularly & she gives me the 
news. Sorry Harold did 
not cotton on to the moral
Love Letters idea. Im sure
22

3   the readers of the Women's
page would have rushed it.
Cant see why Herald turned
them down.  They are afraid
to do anything the least bit
out of the prosaic beaten
track.
Im in tip top health now.
Hope to remain so.
Kind regards to all the boys
Yours 

Bluegum
Macallum gave a very
ferocious appreciation of Bluegum.
The English press too have
been very Kind
OTH
23

CAIRO

21/11/16
My dear Whyte:-

Herewith a little verse

which might do for the book.

I think it as well if we

had the last line in italics.

I presume you have got the

epic From Egypt. There is

another verse called The

Home Sick Anzac.  which you

can also use. I think I

sent a copy home. Ask Jean.

Im sending it along to

London opinion. We will have to

make acknowledgements to London opinion

when we use them. Im preparing

a few Camel  articles for the Herald &

I think they will be the very thing for

the book. Will send them along soon . . . . Stuart

Allan might be able to do a sketch for 
these verses.. Cherio  Merry Xmas

Bluegum.

11/12/16

4^th Aust Camel Regt  A.I.F.
My dear Whyte:-

Just a line to say Im

in the pink of condition. I have a

few rounds with the gloves a few

times a week & so far out of

half a dozen different opponents I

have managed to escape being battered

about too much. Also Ive had

a few wrestling bouts without being

placed on my back. So you can

see Im real fit.

We move out very shortly now

& Im hoping to send you some

good camel stories for the book.

Which reminds me there are

a few sets of verses which I

reckon will help to fill the book

these are "My Dug Out" which is

2

in the first book; the Light Horse

War Song (to the tune of Georgia.

It is I think in one of the books &

was published in the Herald

an Epic from Egypt which was

published in London Opinion &

gushed in the Australian Mirror.

It is on the card I sent you.

"To My Camel " London Opinion (I

think I sent you a copy. If

not you can get it from home).

Reg O my Heart; published in

the Christmas Windsor magazine

Out & Back the Empire Turkish song

Anzac Maximus (which you will

find in the Mirage") The Home

Sick Anzac which I recently sent

home & you can get from Anne

I guess that will be enough

verse to intersperse amongst

3

the articles & the illustrations. . . . 

Ive been so very busy lately

with the new Camel Regiment that

Ive done nothing for publication

at all. But I hope soon to

have plenty of material. . . . 

Doubtless you have heard that

I have been recommended for the

Press job in Egypt. I was

not keen on it & it was

offered me without my taking

on my part. But if it does

come along it should find me

a fine chance in the new

campaign.   . . . The recommendation

has gone on to Melbourne to

the Minister for Defence & Im

expecting any day to hear

of it . . . .If it comes along

it might think my doing

anything special for the

4

Herald, but I have some

Romani stories I intend

to write up the first

chance I get.

Guess thats about all Ive time

for now. Remember me 

very kindly to all the

boys at the office 'specially

Percy A Reeve, Joy, Bull,

Jack Davenport, Dadswell, 'Cooper'

& the members of the Institute. . . 

With all good wishes

Yours

Bluegum
P.S. There is a story of mine in Badmingtons

magazine, 'The Lonely Horseman" which we can

use for the book but as with the verses we

must acknowledge Faure. OTH.

17-1-17.

4^th Aust Camel Regt

Egypt.
My dear Clarrie;-

I dont suppose

there is much in the

way of news but I

want to acknowledge yours

of Novr 10, 11 & 14. Glad

to get all the home

news . . .  Am wondering

if the Minister for Defense

will agree to make the

appointment of a war

correspondent for Egypt

It is high time such

an appointment was

made. No one knowing

all the splendid work

our Light Horse has done