Zeitoun
4/4/1915
Dear Everybody,
Here it is Easter Sunday, we are still in Egypt & I suppose you are all looking foreward to the usual Easter flare ups. I can easily imagine how the faces of those who will journey to Riverton tomorrow will look. I am looking foreward to hearing of great things being done this Easter. I suppose the harvest is pretty late, & perhaps might hinder you a bit, but if you have not much crop in, perhaps you will be finished befor the eventful days. As for us, we had a what was supposed to be a holiday, but in reality was nothing of the kind. Divisional orders laid down that all parades were to be suspended, & s they were, but our noble friend G took it into his head, & ordered our regiment to lead our horses off the lines for exercise, & take them out to some trees for shelter from the sun. The upshot of the whole thing was that we spent our holiday with the horses under the shade of some kind of tree or other, while all the other regiments were allowed to wander where they liked. On the top of that our usual Saturday half holiday was done the same way, also our Sunday one the same way. We Mr McKay Ferguson Scott & myself took advantage of trip for soldiers, down to Luxor. It is 500 miles from here, & is quite one of the most historical & most interesting place in Egypt. It took us 13 hours train journey to get there & thirteen back again, so out of 36 hours we did not have very long there. However
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it was 36 hours away from camp & that was a good bit. Over & above that we had a glimpse at pretty nearly all there was to see there. I am posting Souvenir of Egypt showing all the places we visited, & have written a little note at the bottom of each. As my time is very limited tonight I am not able to say as much about it as I would like. However should one have the good fortune to get back sage, I think with what photos I took & with the Souvenir I will be able to recall most things to mind. I am also posting home some photos of the Officers of the O.M.R. I hope you will post them to the the different people I have mentioned on the paper that is with them. I promised George Menzies I would send his mother one, & now when I have them I find I am one short, & so will not be able to send her one straight away. However I have ordered another one, & should it arrive in time. I will send it along. In the event of it not arriving I will expect you Lottie to let her know why. The fact of the matter is we might all be off any minute, the infantry & artillery start tomorrow, & 50 of our men go as a body guard to Sir Ian Hamilton in the morning. When the rest of the mounted troops go depends upon how thing go on. We are hoping that everything will go well, & let us get to the real business, it is getting rather stale here, hearing of the doings of others. It is quite on the cards that you will hear of me again from Egypt, but should you not do not be surprised. Remember me to everybody & if any one who I promised to write to wants to know why I am not doing so tell them that time will not permit. All the lads are in good health & form. Believe me to be ever your Sincere Brother E.S. McI.
