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7 May 1916

1ST N.S.W. TRAINING BN.,
TEL.EL.KEBIR.,
EGYPT
7 – 5 – 16

Dear Homefolks
When I was up at Ishmailia last Sunday Vernie gave me the letters of xmas wishes that you’d enclosed in the xmas gifts. They put new life into me altho the gifts themselves didnt reach me. I don’t mind that tho cos Percy & Vernie had them.

I’ll answer those very welcome letters that I rec’d from you last week. There’s two from you Mum 30/12/15, the other undated, & one from my walsmitten sister dated 3/1/16.

You’re a nice one I must say Mum, spoiling my cake with Florie Richards _ _ _. Have you got a grudge against Elsie that you want to see her tied down to me  _ _ _. I’ve got a jolly good mind to write to Florrie & propose. For Heavens sake don’t tell Elsie tho – she mightn’t understand my little joke.

From what you say of your cocoanut ice Viola, I think I’d like some. If you ever send anything along & remember about the c-ice, send some along cos I’ve got a weakness for it.

Lookout. LOOKOUT. I’m [paper damaged]
Have just re-read what you said about that English nincompoops opinion of the Austn girl. I’ve seen a few & known a few, & I’ve seen the English & Scottish article too, & I’ve decided to partonise local industry. They’ll do me. There’s one thing – the Austn girl is more modest & selfrespecting than the English article, & as for looks. In Eng I’ve often been in hotels – sometimes on duty, & sometimes to have something (soft _ _ _.) with a friend, & without a word of a lie there has in nearly every case been almost as many women - quite young too – as men. It used to disgust me. Think nothing either of asking you to buy drinks for them.

Have not been extra busy these last couple of days. When I wrote last, I was undergoing a N.C.O’s class. It fell throu as far as I was concerned when the reinforcements arrived. I got the choice of being placed on the permanent staff of the Training Bn as Instructing Cpl to do nothing but help train each lot of reinforcements as they arrived & with a promise of early promotion or of returning to my Bn. I turned it down, becos, a permanent staff job wouldn’t suit me. I wouldn’t have minded training reinforcements if I could have gone away with them, but here for the duration! Horrible to contemplate so I’ll probably be leaving with the next lot.

Met Norman Elliott here today. He’s in the Details also. Only just out of hospital after sickness but looks pretty good on it. He’s in the reinforcement to the 1st Bn. We had a pretty long chat today. He was telling me that Rup Fergo has a staff job in Cairo. Good luck to him. He’s done his bit – been wounded three times. I’ll close now with the best love from your loving son & brother Bert.

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