Item 01: Oliver Hogue letters, November 1914-29 December 1915 - Page 60
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[Page 60]
9
of the Sultan paid a visit to the Turkish prisoners detention barracks & Col Ryrie, Col Cox, Col Arnott & I went along to meet him. He seems about 35 years old, inclined to be stout, but quick & alert in his movements & very courteous all round. He speaks English excellently - though with a noticeable accent & seemed very well informed on every subject that cropped up.
By the bye, lest I forget. The people of Cairo are making bold bids for the patronage of the Australians. Every shop & window has signs like this - 'Special Australian Shop', 'Shop for Soldiers', 'Dont go elsewhere & be cheated - come here'. But quite the cream of the notices was that on the front of a big Cafe ' English & French spoken - Australian understood'. The soldiers have been as a shower of gold to the Cairo traders. Reverting to the prisoners. They all seem well & quite content with their lot. They are getting sleek & fat & quite different to the the cadaverous looking crowd that we captured on the Canal. We went right through the prison and saw them all. Then had afternoon tea with his Highness....
Oh, while I talk of it - the Turks are back on the Canal. If they come in force we will be sent across, but somehow we dont think they will do much. But while any considerable body of them are here our stay in Egypt is prolonged.