Item 01: Oliver Hogue letters, November 1914-29 December 1915 - Page 65

[Page 65]

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good sympathy with me on the score of food. Any how I would not swap places with any man I know in Australia.   Admittedly the dust is a bit trying & I have swallowed quite my share. But my digestion always was pretty good. Still I dont like it in my eyes & nose & ears & down my back & in my hair. Again you must not be over sympathetic for we have splendid shower baths in Camp & the good  kind folk of Ma'adi have placed their hot baths at my disposal. At first it was so bitterly cold that I was discreet rather than valorous in the mastery of shower baths & I made the warm of Maadi work overtime. Now however the days are so very warm that it is no great trial to take the morning shower.

Did I send you a postcard of   Helwan. Well, I intended to.   Anyhow I sent a few out. I got them from the artist herself, Miss Nellie Hadden, who comes out to Egypt every year.   She is a nice old lady   & has painted   a beautiful little watercolour of our Camp which she intends to exhibit at the Royal Art Society Show. It shows Col Ryrie in the foreground & myself just behind mounted on 'Herald'.

Also she has painted a nice crayon portrait of myself mounted   - it is excellent in every detail save the face. The reason is that she took the picture when I had the nice wiry brown mustache which so transfigures & transforms the face. Of course I told you that once again the ruthless razor razed to the ground the facial adornment... Had driver to the night with Mrs J Williamson   who was a Sydney girl. The hubby has a beautiful home - quite a castle.