Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, 1916 - Part 5

View from my window CHOUBRA.
Native House
Alexandria-Suez Railway
Hand Drawn picture - see original document

CHOUBRA
17.3.1916
Dearest Mother Father & Helen
You will be glad to hear I am up and
about again though I am still very weak
I have just returned from a motor drive. We
went to Mahdi where The Turkish Concentration
Camp is and saw my old friend Abdul again
though this time he was behind the bars and 
couldn't shoot at one. This missive is going by one
of the sisters returning to Australia as the ordinary post
is closed. A Sister Winter came to see me she was
on the station with Uncle Willie she is the
image of a young adedition of Mrs Minter funny
that the names + appearances should be so
like. There is nothing further to report I am
being magnificently looked after in fact everyone
says I am being spoilt. Convalescence is a very
happy period. "Everybody's awfully good to me
dont che Know"!
Much love

from
Geoff

No 3 Auxillary Hospital,
Sporting Club. HELLOPOLIS,
2nd April 1916.
Dearest Mother Father & Helen,
I have just received some letters
from you written end of Jan & beginning 
of Feb. they arrived at a most opportune
time. I was feeling deadly depressed &
Homesick, I am sick of wandering
over the face of the earth and yearn for
some homelife. They are not sending ^me back
to Australia nor to any convalescent home.
The C.O. of the Hospital received a wire
that they wanted me back as soon as
possible so I have been marked "fit
for duty in a fortnights time" The weather
here is becoming hot and these shacks
of which the hospital is comprised
are like ovens they each have fifty
within. They have however now 
reduced this number to 34. I would
have loved to have joined the majority
of the officers here who are booked
for Australia But I have become so
healthy that it would not be.

justifiable. Rob Burston is on the
staff of this of this Hospital just arrived from
England. The flies here are damnable
and there is very little respite from
them We are only allowed leave from
2 till 6pm. I generally run into Groppe's
for afternoon tea as a rule alone but
there you sit in a garden and can see
everyone so I usually find some one
to talk to. I have got a new uniform
which is at once the admiration & envy
of all in the ward also a pair of riding
boots which I had made in anticipation
of a trip home. This alas is not to be
just yet, & after all it will be surely 
more honorable to see the show through
as long as I am fit to serve my country
and loved ones. I had my photo taken
the other day and am getting the proofs
to-day. I had a letter from Dempster
inviting me to call on him & his brother
when in Alexandria. I would very
much appreciate the silk underclothing I
am delighted to hear Colonel Bryant is
coming back hope I meet him I love
him as a brother. I have remitted

£150 to you hope you get it alright. This
is the amount I have saved from my pay
from August last. I also sent a couple
of Persian table centres, and I sent
Winifred some also with other things
of Egyptian origin to the value of £3
she sent me to spend Major now
Lieut Col Jess has now got the Seventh
so I am anxious to join that Colonel
Elliot wants me to join his Brigade
but from what I can gather he is
worse than ever on this bullying racket
so I am not very attracted in that 
direction. No more news
Farewell
Much love
from
Geoff.
I enclose some photos some of the 
negatives they only printed one copy of
so as I sent the set complete to Maude
if you want the others you will be

soon able to find the ones you haven't
got by the negatives. Sister Sue became too
affectionate in her correspondence so I had to
shut her up. We don't know each other now.

Geoff
R. 12/5/16
cpd [[?]]

No 3 Auxillary
Heliopolis.

11/4/1916.
Dearest Mother Father & Helen
I have been full of great
hopes of seeing you all and was
down on the list to return to
Australia, mais alas, The ship
has sailed and here I still am
I have been messed about until
I am fearfully fed up fast I am
told I am going and then that
I am not so I am going to
content myself with a couple
of weeks  at Alexandria and
then I shall probably join the
15th Brigade in which Colonel
Elliott has offered me the Second
in Command of a Battalion
It is becoming very hot here
and I am still very weak on

on my legs. I have come in contact
with some very nice people over
here. I have been delaying
writing owing to being under
the impression that I would
be on my way home and
reach you as soon as any
epistle of mine. Life is very
uneventful just now generally
lie down all day and run
into Carrs for afternoon tea
about five sit at a table in
garden and watch the people
Haven't had a letter for weeks
all my letters are going on to
the Battalion which has departed
hence.
Much love to all
from Geoff.

No 3 Auxillary Hospital
Heliopolis 18/4/1916
Dearest Mother father & Helen,
I am still in Hospital my left ankle
has gone bung and I have to have it
massaged daily. On Sunday I went for
a lovely ride to Matarich with Major
Rankine and two sisters it was glorious
coming home in the morning through the
fields and avenues the air was heavy
with the fragrance of Orange & Honey-
suckle blossom. Hundreds of palms
stood silouhetted against the flaming
sun set sky and the earth was
filled with a great silence broken only
by the jingling of the horses bits and
beat of their hoofs on the road. It
was hard to realize that there could really
be a war on. I am enclosing some photos
which I hope you will like no news.
Roy Burston came to see me to-day. looking
very well
Much love to all
from Geoff.

HELIOPOLIS HOUSE HOTEL
HELIOPOLIS (Cairo)
1916
Easter Day
23.4.1915
Dearest Mother Father & Helen
Very many thanks for the
silk shirts and underclothes
just received. They are very
much appreciated as its becoming
stinking Hot here. This morning
the sister provided us with
a beautiful Easter Cake and
gave us each a beautiful Easter
Egg of Chocolate. The food at
the Hospital has not been very
nice lately so Major Spurge and
I have taken to having our
dinners here. The meal is served
in the open all on beautifully
laid tables each set for two
and lit by an electric lamp
shaded by soft colored silk
The Piazza presents a beautiful
sight. The soft light falling
on the snowy linen and
sparkling glass, the beautiful
dresses of the women and the 
Kahki dressed men. White robed