Letter - 17 January 1915 - Mena Camp, Egypt

This letter from A.G. Adams was written to his mother and concerns practising advanced guards, the Brigade's route march of 10 miles and visits to the Citadel and mosques. He is concerned about his elder two brothers who are battling a bad drought in the Riverina district in south-western New South Wales, Australia.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Mater, 

I have to acknowledge letters of 6-8, 18/1/14 which all came in a bunch for which many thanks. I suppose you will be back in Melbourne by the time you get this. We will probably be here still.

We started Battalion training the other day and have been practicing advanced guards etc. On Friday we had a Brigade route march with engineers, ambulance and our own transport. We went along the Mena-Cairo road for a couple of miles and then cut out along one of the raised roads through the fields which wound about past several villages and eventually got back to the sandy desert about 3/4 miles from camp. Total distance about 10 miles which we did in just over 3 hours in full marching order, including halts. I don't think anybody dropped out of our Battalion which is pretty good. 

Last Thursday Harry Malony and I went in to Cairo and had a look over the Catadel and the mosques near it. I suppose Pater can tell you more about them than I but they are simply wonderful. The silver urns and ivory inlaid doors are magnificent, whilst the alabaster mosque of Suliman is something to take all the ...in the world. The whole of the mosque, with the exception of 4 great supporting pillars, is made of alabaster, dazzling white. The floor is covered with magnificent carpet and hundreds of lights hang in great concentric circles, giving a hint of the great size of the place. Get pater to tell you about it. I'm sending him a P.C. of it. 

The season seems to be pretty rotten in Australia. I hope the boys are getting some rain. Remember me to all enquiring friends. 

Yours lovingly
Athol