LETTERS FROM EGYPT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 232, 10 March 1915, Page 7

LETTERS FROM EGYPT.

SOLDIERING BETTER THAN CRICKET. Writing from Zeitoun Camp, a private in the First Canterbury Regiment,--a young man who is very well known in "athletic circles in Christclmrch, particularly 011 the football field—says: '1 read by the Christclmrch papers that volunteers have not been coming forward quite so freely as could have been desired. This is rather strange, and the men here cannot understand it at all. Surely they don't realise what a lot of good fun and education (besides hard work) one gets out of the game with the Expeditionary Forces. I notice that the different cricket teams still contain a lot of young and promising material. They ought to be out here; they would find it a lot more interesting than leisurely chasing the leather in Christchurch." THE CALL TO THE CANAL. A Christclmrch man, writing to frieds under date January 25, says: — At 5 p.m. to-day we got orders to go to the Suez Canal. It rs a very sudden call. We leave by train at 9 a.m. tomorrow, so we are to work all night getting ready for our departure. Only our brigade (infantry) are going at present. The mounted men are c.-rting our ammunition, etc. Our bootmakers are toiling at top speed to-night effecting repairs to the boots, which are showing signs of the hard usage of the desert work. We are going by train and are taking '.'A hours' rations, with us to tide us over the long journey. The men are wildly delighted at the idea of getting at close quarters with the Turks, and bands are playing all over the camp. This is in a different tone from that of another letter written on the 22nd: Each day there arc more and more rumors flying around, and it is really amusing to note the effect they have on the men. About four days ago we wore out on the march, and we heard that the New Zealand forces had been lent to the Egyptian Government, and would remain here for two years. This rumor glew in volume, and when we got back tn camp everybody was talking about it. Talk about swearing and cursing! I never beard so much of it before. Everybody was mad against the powers that be, and for the moment all the men connected with the British forces were unpopular. When orders were posted u.i at night hundreds of men got out of their beds to see if the report were true, and when nothing appeared they searched vainly for the man who started the rumor.

NEW ZEALANDERS ONLY. The following is another Christcliureli letter, written after the attack on the Canal commenced. It is dated January 27:—"This will be the first, letter you have received from me written actually on the battlefield. We are now engaged with the Turks, although as yet We are n«t in the firing line, but acting as supports, about seven miles in the rear. An artillery duel has been going on all day, and two aeroplanes have passed over us (British scouts) this afternoon. It is a great compliment to New Zealanders to he sent in preference to the English Tommies and Australians, and we are all anxious to see what we can do. I hear that we are holding our own, but we are in readiness to attack at any moment. We are all entrenched and have slept all night by them. Ag. aeroplane has just some back with news which may mean us scrapping. Horrah!"