Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, 1916 - Part 6

waiters wearing scarlet tarbushes
and cumabounds, flit noiseless
among the tables. The whole
of this gay scene stands out
in bold relief against the
dark canopy of Egypts night
and the pale blue of the Jackarand
trees which flourish in the
street gardens. In the centre of
the street is a cinematograph
screen on which are thrown
the latest thrills much to the

delight of the crowds of
natives who throng the Hotel
front. One can never be
bored in this country if he
is the possessor of moderate
means people appear to
live here for amusement
which is both plentiful
and cheap. Mrs Lethbridge
left for England on Friday
I had my first game of 
tennis yesterday but I

am yet weak and my
pulse became too much
accelerated to carry on
long. Our night sister
is an awfully charming
girl she knoes Raz
well. her name is 
Maude Ashdown, she
has four brothers serving
with the A.I.F the poor
girl's rather a wreck at

present, she was thrown
by a horse the other day
I feel quite isolated having
not had any letters for
weeks. i enclose a few
photos- much love to
all from
Your very affectionate
Son & brother
Geoff

Dearest Mother Father & Helen.
I am so far recovered as to be able to go into
Cairo on my flat feet. I must thank you for the sweets
you sent I also got a parcel from Maude containing Butter
Scotch Short Bread and Sox. News is very scarce. I am
heartily fed up of Hospital but the people here are
doing there best to make my detention as happy
as possible. I generally play Bridge with the
Medicos in the evenings we have a piano and
I have bought some new songs Captain
Bennett has a very fine library which she has
placed at my disposal. The Egyptian proprietor
of the fields adjoining the hospital is the very image
of Oscar Asche as Othello. I am shortly to
appear before a medical Board which is to
decide whether I return to Australia or no.
Hoping you are all well
Much love
from 
Geoff
[*Met Major Argyle
in town the other day
looking very well. Am going
to see him to-day
Cd. Elliott & Layh
came to see me 
yesterday the
CO looked
splendid
he
is now a 
brigadier*]

April 1916                     1 DRL 427    1/11

                                    RAS EL TIN

                                     ALEXANDRIA 3.5.1916

Dearest Mother, Father & Helen

             I have come down here to complete

my convalescence it is beautiful down here.

Went for a sail in the Mediterranean 

yesterday out to the Old Island Fortress of

Agamy there was a glorious wind blowing

and I was doing to the sailing so it was

absolute unadulterated joy to me. I am 

sharing a room with a Major Midgley and 

a Padre of the name of Gordon. They are

both much old men than I, but very good

company Today we spent the day at

Nouzha gardens, which were gorgeous

in their spring garments I never

before have seen such glorious colors

and wealth of blooms Please address

all my letters to 58th Battalion 15th Bde

5th Division to which unit I have 

transferred I am pining for letters not

had any for months. I am enclosing

some photos taken mostly at the Barrage

The sister there is my pal Maud

Ashdown she is a great girl and 

has been awfully good to me, she

was once a patient of Raz's. I feel

quite cut off and alone now that

I cannot get any letters mine are 

all going to France and heavens

knows if I will ever see them again

Midgley Gordon and I are off to the

Pictures tonight and the carriage

awaits so must close

           Much love

                From your loving

                 Son & brother

                      Geoff

Cpd GG McC

3.5.16                           3DRL 427

                                         2/13

                                        STAGING CAMP

                                          CANAL ZONE

                                             22/5/16

Dearest mother Father & Helen

                I have just received your letter

dated 4th April it is the first letter I have had

for since early in March I was glad to get

it as it was the breaking of the drought

I have been worked very hard lately & have

very long hours. We start work at 4 in the

morning to avoid the heat of the day and I 

am seldom in bed till after 11am I am at

present commanding 5the Bn until another 

commander comes along to take it over Colonel
Elliot is looking very well. I my self am very

healthy yet feel the want of sleep I am almost
as black as a nigger.  This place is the abomination

of desolation alright, especially out in the front
line we had a heat wave the other week used
to register 122° in our tents  no doubt this has
tended to reduce the efficiency of some  I have
a beautiful steed to career about on, an excellent
batman.  I wish old MASHOBRA would come
through the ditch again.  I would love to see
Old McKay and his clan.  I met Teddy  Mair

 the other night looking very fit & well
I have not heard from Maude for

months.  I am afraid you must 
be content with very scrappy notes

at Present  I don't know which way
to turn for work anyhow one does not 
notice the heat so much when one is
busily occupied. I enclose some
more photos   much love from

Geoff

[* Cpd GMcC]

MOASCAR
8. 6. 1916
Dearest Mother Father & Helen
I take up me pencil once more
and looks towards you. Things have
moved since I last wrote  to-night
I haul down my flag as commander

of this show and hand over to Major
Duigan who was nominated for 
it ere I arrived on the scene. General

Elliott  when he sent for me to inform
me of the fact, gave me to understand
that he was sorry I was relinquishing
the command and hinted that I
might possibly resume it in the near
future. He was good enough to say
that I had done much better than
he thought I would.  He told my
adjutant that the show was at a
very low ebb when I joined and that
now it was going well for the first
place in the Brigade.  This came as
a shock to me  I have very little of
the gift of self confidence and I thought
 

 2 

[*things*] were going so well as they might.

In striving at the ideal I have
evidently got part of the way
along the road and this has
evidently found favor in the

General's sight.  Last night we made
a bit of a splash in the social line
and I claim that we are the first
people in the Brigade to initiate any
thing of the kind. We gave a dinner
last night to which came Gen Elliott &
the C'Os from various regiments.  The
mess huts  was decorated with flags
and the tables furnished with crockery
and glassware borrowed from the
French Club at Ismailia.  We gave
them soup, fish, chicken, roast beef,
asparagus, sweets, nuts, wines beers
cigars & black coffee.  a civilized
dinner in a  howling wilderness
 forsooth. Afterwards there was a
concert for the men  I managed to
obtain the services of a regimental
Band from a neighbouring Battalion
and a piano from N^o 1 Stationary
Hospital ( which by the way has only