ITEMS FROM THE CAMPS IN EGYPT.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15267, 1 May 1915, Page 10

ITEMS FROM THE CAMPS IN EGYPT.

"You people seem to be hearing a lot of fairy tales about us, according to the papers. We are roughing it, and we don't mind roughing it, but we don't like to see articles on New Zealand Chocolate Soldiers, etc. It makes us wild. Wo are not on a picnic. . . . 1 think this war i s only starting really. All those fellows from Auckland who have not already left will have to come." —Extract from an Auckland trooper's letter.

"Last night someone conceived the idea of a game of cricket. "With a broken pick helve for a bat, two old kerosene tins for wickets, the camp roadway for the pitch, and an old composition ball, we had a great game. It did not take long for about half the field troop to have an innings each. It took on so "well, that the South Island, members of the troop have challenged the Northern members to a game under the same conditions, and teams have been selected, and the match is to come off 0:1 Friday evening ato. 15. lamnotsure if any of the players are up to Shield rep. form, but one of the boys last night drove the ball clean into our messroom. The spirit of esprit de corp 5 throughout tho Engineers is splendid, as I think it is throughout the whole force." —From a Wellington infantryman. "Last week we had a trek of three days to a place called Barrage, about sixteen miles from Cairo. The place is a delta on the Nile. Here we saw camped a travelling Ophthalmic Hospital. These hospitals are nm out of a fund given by Sir E. CasselJ, of magazine fame, lor the purpose of giving the natives an. opportunity of having their oyes treated. As there is four per cent, of total blindness among the natives, the urgent need of such institutions will be obvious; in fact, one can scarcely find a native who has not an affection of the eyes. This is not surprising, when one sees the way in which tho people live in the native villages."—Extract from letter of Trooper Louis McLean (C.V.C.), to his parents at Cashmere Hills.

Mr A. H. Goss, of New Plymouth, has just recoived from his brother, who is a member of the Australian Expeultionary Force, a letter dated Heliopolis, March 14th, in which the writer says: —"The New Zealanders who aro attached to our division are a fine body of men, and splendidly equipped. . . . A field day recently was done with ball aminnnition, and we advanced to the attack under the support of shrapnel fire from the New Zealand Artillery. It wae novel to hoar tho shells whizzing over our heads, and sco them bursting ahoad over tho targets on the position we Tvere attacking; and when tho firing lino wag formed and fully developed one got'a good idea of what it is like in the real thing. The firing-line was about two miles long, and when we and the machine-guns were all banging away-there was some noise, believo mc. The poor old targets had a very bad time, and were 6imply shot to pieces." "Wo hear that there is an Indian mountain battery to be attached to our brigade, and no doubt they will be able to chow us how things should be done. From some of the letters I havo seen published in the New Zealand papers you would think that a man ran a big risk in going through Cairo's hack streets, lint as a matter of fact, it is just about as dangerous as a mothers' meeting." : —Extract from ah Otago private's letter.

"The Akaroa Citizens' Defence Corps seems to be doing great thinge. T can tell Jon Peninsula boys here are taking a groat interest in you. My word, yon "would all be interested here on th o end of a shovel trench digging, more so, if wo were" allowed to look on, Tho best thing for you to do with shirkers is to pub them on pack drill. Pack drill fixes* naughty boys hero all right (once caught, twioa shy). . . Our horses are all in great form now, and will be a bio to stand a lot of rough work. We have all been eerved with now regulation army saddles and bridles, and now that wo have got used to them, we find f them much more serviceable than old' ones. By tho way, since arriving here our horses have been fed on barley straw (tibbin), barley (crushed mostly), maize and bran, and hay every night at 8.30. Once a week green clover : s given to them. The horse feed, I hear, which has been sent from New Zealand will be kept for use at the front. Our food is still first rate. In fact, with the addition of a table cloth and china cups, plates, etc. (and a few of otir people sitting around), we could easily imagino ourselves sitting at home in New Zealand. Sports have been held here often lately, the V.M.C.A. people taking them in hand. Boxing is followed with great interest. Wβ have some really good men with the New Zealanders* Hegarty, of Tim«u, beingabout the best. He easily holds his own with til© Australian and English boxers here. The reinforcements have all been drafted to the various regiments, and most of them will fill vacancies, and go on to the front with us."—Extract from a Peninsula trooper's letter in "Akaroa Mail."