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11 February 1915

Thursday
Mena Camp 11/2/15

Dear Homefolks.
Mum, your very welcome letter of 10/1/15, Viola’s of 4/1/15, & Idas of 29/12/14 all came to hand together on Tuesday.

Am so glad Mum that you got my letter on Xmas Eve. It was timed very nicely wasn’t it _ _ _. Well I’m very sorry but this will only be a note too, as we’ve just been informed that we are going on a 4 days bivouac starting tomorrow & finishing Monday afternoon, so unless we write tonight it will be too late. Was asleep half this afternoon & was visiting friends in the hospital who are very ill with pneumonia, the rest of the time.

Sidebar (Percy is going for his exam tomorrow it  will do no harm its no ## ##)

Yes both Vernie & I were part of the many troops utilized on the occasion of taking over Egypt.

Haven’t been able to “bag” any curios so far. To get good curios you need a golden bag, & for other sorts you need a good quality of silver bag _ _ _. For the same reason haven’t been able to see a lot of the places of interest yet.

Am glad that you are satisfied with the new place. What are you going to call it? Oh Mum what are you coming at? “If we are not married in 6 years time” SIX years. Oh Gracious. Don’t condemn us to single blessedness for that long _ _ _. It will be so nice coming back to our own place. It will be quite novel.

Yes Viola & I don’t forget that picnic either. It was a bonzer one. I quite enjoyed myself & that’s saying a lot. Am glad that you rep’d [?] me so ably, & had a good time.

Where are the Farances? I suppose that as you visited them, they must be near by somewhere.

Am pleased to hear that you are an adept pupil of Richard Arust[?]. We’ll enter you in the championships yet. When I get back I’ll get you to row ___ & me on the Pmatta. We’ll sit in the prow & you’ll have your back to us. Of course you’d have to do all the rowing as we’d be too busy otherwise _ _ _.

Yes I’m very pleased you kept a little corner in you warm little heart for us at Xmas. We were both doing wireless telepathy I spose _ _ _. cos I was thinking of you.

No Ida, I haven’t seen any gypsy girls in Egypt that I like as well as ___. The best of them cannot come within a thousand miles of the three bonzer sisters I’m blessed with.

Am so glad that you like the fountain pen that Dad gave you. Hope you gave him a extra special kiss & hug for it.

Ida you’ve no sense of umer or else you’d enjoy shopping with Viola. I used to enjoy it immensely. It was as good as Eroui’s[?] circus & was always a sure cure for my dumps _ _ _.

Am very pleased to hear you had such a bonzer picnic. I spose that splinter found your foot so nice & sweet that it wanted to stay there. If I’d been there with my bayonet I’d have got it out _ _ _.

My word you all scored at Xmas. You did nearly as well as we did here.

Am so sorry to hear about Olive Watts. Hope she is a lot better now. If you see any of them give her my best wishes please.

By jingo I believe that that Raffen means biz. I’ll drop him a warning. It’s a shame to see a nice young man going to his doom without any warning. You remember the white horse episode?  _ _ _.

By jingo if you were here at night you’d think you were in the north pole. It’s as cold as ice at night & you can grill eggs under glass in the day.

Lights out have gone so I’ll have to close.

Will give you all the news in the next letter.

Good night & hope you all are well & happy as we are here, your loving son and brother
Bert.
Love to Maysie also. Remind me to Mrs F &
Jean & Marg

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