Ismailia
11/12/16
Dear Ernie
Will write a few lines tonight so I am on the job at anyrate. So far have had plenty of time to write a letter or so at night that is if there is anything to say about all one can say here is that it is sandy & the weather continues to be fine. I have been wondering if the last letter I wrote you got to you safely or otherwise. A mail comes in from England on Wednesday so I am wondering if there will be a line from you or Kate. I wrote her a week or so ago & if it goes direct she ought to be in receipt of it in a few days. It is hard to believe that a month has passed since arriving here however such is the case and as time flies apace Xmas will be with us in a very short time. Am wondering if I will spend it here or further afield. Within the week those men going into the camel corps have gone on to another camp also a number have been sent forward to join those higher up country most of those were the men that came out as NCOs & reverted to the ranks & a number of old hands. We do not hear much of what is going on as you can guess, mostly rumour & of that what can one believe. Had a letter from Lin Foster a day or two ago he is away out
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sometime & from the way he wrote is doing fine & is just the same hard case as of yore. He is now with Auckland Regiment & wrote to tell me so & get in with them but as I had already transferred to the Canterbury may have some difficulty in getting another. However I am with four other Southlanders & have been with them all along so should stick to them Eh! A brother of Jim Ronald’s is one of them a fine fellow too a real hard case & keeps us going all day long. Have now gotten a hors to ride so do not feel the sand so much how different it is working here to the way it is done in N.Z. you cannot imagine. I think I will leave this until after a mail arrive there is also some due from NZ at the end of the week so might then have something to write about at anyrate there is no mail going out for Eng just for a day or two. Have just had our usual supper of tinned fruit & biscuits so feel set up for the night. My but the sand does get hard ere the morning arrives one has been quite long enough lying down when a quarter to six comes round. 14/11/16 Nothing of any consequence since Sunday. Had a run out to the city last night but could not see much of it at night. A surprise packet that we have been expecting for a while arrive just now it is to the effect
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that we proceed farther afield tomorrow. Of course it is a case of not being quite ready as usual so have to get to work and straighten things up for leaving behind. I asked our Lieut. today how far it is out to Tel-el Kibir where you were & he said about thirty five or six miles so after all it is some way from here. As there is nothing that I can find to say I will have to ring off for the present.
Your Affect Brother
Charlie.
[Written on the back of Page 3]
I am enclosing Charls letter as packing.
