Item 01: Irene Victoria Read letters from her husband, 27 November 1914-1 November 1915 - Page 99

[Page 99]

modern coal loading plant that would put to shame our [indecipherable] arrangements in Sydney harbour. Soon after coming to anchor we were surrounded by the usual flotilla of harbour's boats but most of our men seemed to have been cleared out at Port Said & very little business was done. During the afternoon some Territorial R.A.M.C. men belonging to an ambulance attached to the East Lancashire territorials, stationed at Alexandria, came aboard, their accent was a source of considerable amusement to some of our men. Late in the afternoon we received news from Col. Martin that we would be in Alexandria for at least two days waiting for instructions from London as to our disposal, 48 hours leave was granted right away to senior officers & a lot of them started off for Cairo. I was down for duty on the following day so could not get away. After dinner some of us went ashore, arriving at the landing stage a dragoman attached himself to us & walked us along at a pretty brisk rate to the Windsor Hotel. The night was very cold but by the time we reached the hotel we all wanted to get rid of our great coats. The first half mile of the walk was through the Egyptian quarter of the city, the streets of which were paved with large square clock of stone. Later we entered the European portion of the city. This was a great contrast to the squalor of the native quarter.