10.30 A.M
Egypt
10/2/1915
Dear Everybody,
You will see by the heading that we are still in Egypt, but at the present moment not in camp. We are out on what they call a concentration parade, & about 3 miles from camp, hlf way between Cairo and Zeitoun. The parade consists of all the troops in camp in & around Cairo, the exact number I am not sure of but should say it is from 10 to 1200. We have a brigade of Australian mounted rifles with us called “Australian Light Horse Brigade.” There is also a brigade of Aust infantry. These are attached to the N.Z. force & the whole makes up what they call the “2nd Australsian Division.” We have on parade a Regt of home troops also. It looks allright too, to see the whole lot formed up on about 12 acres of ground. We left camp at eight o’clock arrived here about ten, & do not move off until 6 minutes past twelve.
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To make things quite clear I must tell you that from here we are going to carry out a fairly big scheme. The advanced guard is already out, & from the front of the advanced guard to the rear of the column will be a distance of 8 or 9 miles. I am standing up in front of the troop writing this in my note book. I received your letter from home Ruth dated 23rd Dec, one from Lottie the same date, & one from Lizzie dated 3rd January. Funny is’nt it that I should get all those in the one mail. They arrived on the night of the 7th & we did not arrive back to camp till twelve o’clock that night. Had been out entrenching in the dark. However I received another letter from home, just before I left this morn & managed to get it read while waiting here, it was dated, 26th & 28th December, & made me wish very much that I had been home for Xmas. The box of cakes have not arrived yet, but perhaps it will be awaiting me when I
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get back tonight. We are out today with full war kit, so should not be a bit surprised if we have to bivouac tonight. I ment to tell you that the Division on parade, which, if in full force would include the infantry brigade now on the canal, is under the command of General Godley. The Australian force in camp a the Pyramids are under General somebody, I forget his name just now, but they form the 1st Division, & General Birdwood is command of both. The whole Australasian forces make up an army corps. I think this is all I will say just now, will enclose this with the next letter I write. E.S. McI.
