Item 03: Oliver Hogue letters, 12 January-19 December 1916 - Page 79

                                                                                       Somewhere

(Not for publication)                                                              In the desert 26.6.16

My dear Mither &  Father & Anne & Jean & Tom &  Everybodys:

Sure its a long long time  since I wrote to you -  must be at least a week.   And its been a wonderful week to be sure.

For instance I've just put in 48 hours hard labour with only 2 hours sleep & that was with my clothes on.   I've been in the saddle constantly & have tired out 4 horses but "Herald" is magnificent. He's great. And I'm missing him.   He looks better than  any horse in Camp. The  Vet officer Major Le Souef says its a joy to him just to see Herald cantering along the plain.   Of course, I cant tell you where I am.    Sufficient is it to state that I'm feeling fit as a fiddle am brown & lean as ever & feeling as if I was never ill in my life.   We left our last Camp at _____   the other night & trekked out here to ______.   We left Camp at 2 AM & got here at about 8   o'clock. Camels brought our gear out.   The new Camp is quite interesting  right in an oasis in the bare desert.   There are several clumps of date palms & our camp is right amongst them.   When the breeze blows its not as hot as you would expect but still its hot enough.