OSE WWI Transcriptions from the Archives

04: J. C. Bush – H.Q. 53 rd Welsh R.F.A., Egypt – 20 April c.1915-1916 My dear Warden, I have been meaning to write to you for some time but have been pretty busy since I came out that I have really hardly had time for anything. I have been out now over 6 weeks and am getting on very well, my General (General Short) is awfully nice and a very good soldier, and a perfect glutton for work, which suits me because when I am working, I like to be thoroughly busy. Practically all my work is done riding, I have 2 very decent horses and am in the saddle all day long and am wonderfully fit as well. We are under canvas in the Dihyah desert about 7 miles from the cultivation but quite near a station and only 1 ½ hours run from Cairo, I have been in once or twice, on business chiefly, but have managed to see the pyramids, museum, and a mosque or two. I came away from the pyramids feeling very young and insignificant – they are simply stupendous, and one can’t grasp their age, but of course you have seen them. This is really quite a nice spot and we have an unlimited supply of excellent water, which is the thing after all. I have been about 7 or 8 miles out into the desert on various jobs, and I must say it grows on one, and now has a most tremendous fascination for me; the unlimited space, silence, and deadness of it is so extraordinary and the sunsets simply defy description. The weather too is simply perfect, hot by day and quite cold by night; however, we had last week an idea of what it can do, in a 2 days sandstorm and of all meteorological phenomena, it is quite the most appalling. You could comfortably lose a man 100 yards away and it gets into everything and is very painful. It has one saving grace in that it is clean and one’s clothes and bedding only want shaking. I can’t help thinking that the plague of darkness was nothing more or less than a terrific sandstorm. We are very peaceful here, our nominal foe is the Senussi, and he lurks anything up to 200 miles out, and I think is about finished. I believe we are here really more to impress the native, who is rather inclined to get above himself. Everyone seems to think the War won’t last much longer; the Hun has taken a horrid knock at Verdun, all our outlying campaigns are being gradually cleared up, and the big offensive East and West simultaneously ought to move him; and I am quite convinced the Turk has had enough of it. I have not come across any O.S.E. yet out here but I believe Sholto Douglas [OSE] is somewhere in Cairo, I must try and find him. Raywell [OSE] has transferred himself to the Flying Corps and I believe at Reading learning the art, he was awfully fit Mother said in her last letter and has now been home on leave. I saw Mr Lebat in Salisbury before I came out, he was looking awfully fit and not a day older than he used to do. They have just made me a Captain antedated to August 11 so now I have got about as far as I shall get. I have put in for a permanent commission and think it will be alright, I hope so as I really believe I have at last found my métier. I don’t think I have anything more of interest to tell you and should like to hear from you to see ones name on an envelope thousands of miles from home means a good deal. Kindest regards to Miss Sing and yourself. Yours very sincerely, J. Cromwell Bush

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