Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, 1916 - Part 7

MOASCAR

8/6/16

CPD

[??]

3 

two of the original staff that

were at Lemnos left) The programme

was arranged by Tom Dawson

the comedian who for years was

on at Rickards and now is a member

of this Battalion a worthy fellow, in

faith.  He together with many excellent

amateurs and several professionals

provided much amusement & pleasure

to some two or three thousand officers &

men.  We have thus made our impression

and instead of being nonentities we are

now somebodies in the other Battalions

estimation.  I hope you do not think I

am conceited far from it I am aware

painfully of many weaknesses and when

one is in the position of C.O. one knows

that the critical eyes of both those over

and under him are ever sizing him up.

General Elliott is anxious to get Hugh

into this Brigade and will push him

along if we can get him I wish I

knew what unit he was with so I

could get in touch with him.  I am

enjoying the best of health at 

present.  I am going up to Cairo for

[the week end with the General if nothing happens

in the meantime to prevent us.  We are having Divisional sports next Tuesday. No time for more will close with much love from your loving son & Brother

Geoff.

8/6/16.

MOA5CAR

15.6.1916.

 

Dearest Mother Father & Helen

        Our days in Egypt are numbered

and I have had my final Cairo leave

which was spent with Gen Elliott he

told everyone we met that I would

soon be a Colonel so if he says that

I suppose there must be something

in the wind.  I have been doing

the work of that rank for the

past month.  I hope I will be able

to successfully carry the great

responsibility that is thus coming 

upon me and greet myself like

a man and bring honor to our

name.  We had a Divisional Sports

Meeting to-day and our Brigade won

the Championship.  This is a feather

in our cap and has caused much

elation to the boys.  I pray God we 

may do as well on the battlefield

as on the sports ground.  I have

just had a letters from Honey

Winifred & Maude all dated early

2

in April.  I wish I knew which

Unit Hugh was coming out with

the General is anxious for him

to join up with us so if he

has not left when you receive

this tell him to apply to come

with reinforcements to this Brigade

I went to look for Keith & Roy Ekerstien

today but could not find them,

this may be the last letter you will

receive from me for some time at

least until we reach the other

side and provided we don't

strike a "tinfish" which of course

is quite within the bounds of

possibility. Should that happen

I pray that I may "go to my God

like a soldier".  I will be glad to

get away from this heat which

is most enervating and is sapping

our energies.  Farewell my dearest

ones, you are ever in my thoughts and

hence your influence is my guiding

star.  May God be with you till we

meet again.

Much love from Geoff.

15/6/16

UNION-CASTLE LINE

R.M.S."KINFAUNS CASTLE"

21st June 1916.

 

arest Mother Father & Helen

                  We are about to bid

rewell to Egypt and have

een lying out in the harbour

ere for the past three days

waiting the word to sail.

is is a very fine ship and

am very comfortable with a

tateroom to myself.  There is an

glish Major travelling by

s ship who is very musical

d has all the latest music

we have great sing songs

ery evening.  We had a rather

fine trip down here from

ascar the whole unit travelled

down in one train of low-

ded trucks. We started at 10

the evening and arrived

gside at 6 next morning

 avoiding the heat of the day

had our valises spread on

floor of the trucks and could

down and whatch the

etches of moonlit desert &

ltivation fly past us.  We

d hampers prepared at

mailia before leaving and

 thus were provided with

very excellent midnight

pper. When the train halted

take in water at some of

 most desolate places on the

ne.  Gyppies as if by magic

peared out of the desert,

ing "Eggs a' cook" "Eggs a' bread"

 2 in the morning.  I quite

oyed the experience and was

le to get a few hours sleep

pite the bumping of the trucks

d ringing crashes of the buffers

every change of pace.  I know

t w^^hither we are now bound

I believe its France

 very well and in

 spirits.  The weather

 is extremely muggy

 the perspiration which

es from one is simply

ishing everything we 

ss is soaked even to

 tunics which are all

ked.  the Troop decks are

 living Hells there is 

 or no breeze to cool

 fevered brows.  We are

 crowded to be able to do

 work on the decks so

 men are having a holiday

 ow it's too hot to work.

 k I have about exhausted

 ews so will conclude

gs are looking much

 hopeful now the

 

Russian steamroller has

got a move on I expect

Kaiser Bill's beginning to

scratch his head after the

knocks he's been getting of 

late.  May the whole show

soon conclude and allow

us to live again like

rational human beings.

I sincerely hope that you

are all in the very best

of health, wishing ^^you every joy

Believe me.

Your loving son & brother

Geoff.

 

1DRL 427 2/11

UNION-CASTLE LINE

R.M.S. "KINFAUNS CASTLE"

26.6.1916.

 

arest Mother Father & Helen

     To-day finds us a

 north West of Cape Bon

ring along for all we are

th escorted by a destroyer.

  have just past a ship

ich by her lines I'm sure

s the "Mashobra" she was

 far ^^away to be certain might

ve been a sister ship.  We

e four days in Alexandria

rbour before we sailed

 that we were under

ort the whole time as

t as one ship would

ve us another would

me over the horizon to

ke her place.  The navy have