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[Page 15]

4.

they left everything bare as a bone. All along the Nile the Gyppies turned out banging tin cans to drive them off. You can never imagine anything like the extent of the visitation. The telegraph wires were black with them - like long beads. Some of the beautiful Maadi gardens were left bare - Great Country Egypt.

Did I tell you about Concert last night. Quite a success. We had Charles Knowles the Covent Garden Baritone and he sang "The Old Brigade" better even than I do. (This last you might not believe: but it's true). I recited a couple of times and was not pelted with anything but plaudits ...

Horses are very restless to-night. I think it must be the locusts. They had two attempts at stampeding already I have trebled my piquets on headquarters horse lines, so I think we are all right. More of our Australians starting for the front in a couple of days. We may move any day now, but I think the Light Horse will be held for a couple of weeks longer. We are getting rather impatient at these continual waits. We are not as patient as we thought. I'm tired. Good night everyone.

Saturday. I suppose you are all out at the races to-day. We had quite an exciting time at Manoeuvres. General Birdwood came out and I had to meet him and take him out to the fight. He is one of Kitchener's "hard riding" generals and a real good fellow. All the officers like him very much - so do the men. He has a string of medals and decorations a yard long. We went at a good rate several miles across the desert and never once drew rein.

When you get a few squadrons of Light Horse galloping like mad across the country there are always little accidents. One chap had the bad luck and got kicked on the head and sufffered a nasty gash. Al. Chrystal also had an accident. His horse reared back on him and he got a bad shaking and some cuts and bruises. I saw him immediately after it happened. They carried him in 4 miles in the ambulance. You might tell Mrs. Massey. He is not seriously hurt. Tell May I will let them know how he is and keep an eye on him, More locusts to-day. Millions & billions etc. etc. of them. They were like a cloud out of the desert as we rode by. I'm still fit as a fiddle.

Love to all.

OL.

Please pass this scrawl on to Mrs. Kyle, Billy L. and Farmer Whyte.

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