Letter - 13 November 1915 - Maadi Camp, Egypt

Athol writes home to Mother. The letter is written in pencil and not easy to decipher. The reverse of the envelope says has the return address as 'Officers Mess, Second Brigade Transport, AIF (Australian Imperial Force).' Athol is transferred to the transport section of the 5th Battalion. He is placed in charge of 63 horses and 46 men. He builds a garden with the vet and tries to learn some Arabic.

Maadi Camp

Egypt

13.11.15

Dear Mater,

I have to thank you for Nos 23-25-26 (24 and 22 are some where between here and Anzac I suppose). No parcels have come to light lately though I suppose they will also turn up, if the chaps up above don't stick to them.

At present I am in charge of the Transport Section of the Battalion - 63 horses and 46 men when we are up to strength. The chap who had the job before was sent to Hospital and as I was the only one of our Battalion (5th Battalion) in Alexandria. I was sent out to Mex where the camp then was, about 9 miles from Alexandria to take over. Mex was an awful place the only advantage being sea bathing. When I had been there about five days we were moved here.

Maadi is about 9 miles from Cairo and is a very pretty little place; a kind of garden village, where nearly all the people are Europeans. The camp itself is very dusty. Our tents are pitched on some land which was under peanuts and if we scratch around we can get as many as we like. The Vet and I have been putting in a garden round the office tent today and if we stay here we will soon have a fine garden. Besides our batmen we have a couple of 'Walads' or boys and I'm picking up Arabic fast.

I went in to see Colonel Ryan the other day and he was out here the other morning to see his nag which is quite close to my lines. He said he had written to you. Last night I had dinner with Mrs Stewart, xxx, Mrs and Mr Carse also two Duffy boys both of whom are in the Artillary. The Stewarts have taken a flat at Heliopolis and are going there today. Bob xxx is also here, xxx. He came out here the other day and I took him for a ride.

The Turkish prisoners are quite close to this camp but a pass from the G.O.C is necessary if you want to see them.

I had a letter from Bill (Athol's eldest brother, Arthur Parker Adams) dated Sept 6. I got letters from several people but mostly fairly old ones.

Kathleen Knox is at Shepheards and is looking A.1.

I'm still as fat as butter and don't seem to be able to get it off. I don't know how long I'm going to be in this job but its a nice easy job and I'm in sole charge and so I am able to do things in my own way.

There are four other officers, one to each of the 7th, 6th, 8th and the Vet and we get on pretty well and when we get settled a bit more we will be very comfy indeed.

Love to Pater and anyone I know,

Yours lovingly

Athol

NOTES

This map shows the positions of the Australian and New Zealand camps in Egypt. Before the Gallipoli campaign started most of the Australians were stationed at the Mena Camp west of Cairo. After returning from the peninsula Athol was sent to hospital in Alexandria, then Mex Camp (only a few miles from Alexandria along the coast). By early November 1915 he was camped at the Australian Light Horse base at Maadi east of Cairo. On this map Maadi is spelt 'Meadi'.