Z549/17/145

Letter sent from Egypt by Cyril Verdcourt to Mama [Helena Verdcourt].

Saturday 19 July [1919]

From: 1919 To: 1919

From: 62304 D Company, 1/4th Northants, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, Egypt Dear Mama, I received two letter from you last night, one dated the 3rd and the other the 6th of July, and a bundle of newspapers. Please, mama, do not blame me if my letters are delayed for it is the fault of the battalion postmen. I have written quite frequently to you and to Sid and others. We, at Tanta, are quite ignorant of the mails and have to trust to luck. If you wish to send a parcel please send such things as soap, hair oil, tooth-paste etc as everything is fearfully expensive here, in that line. Please send Kolynors’ tooth-paste, for although a higher price, it lasts much longer and is much better than other makes. I have not yet finished the two tubes I bought when on leave. I hope Talbot will like his Chinese station. Please remember me to him and say I am glad to learn at last that the turbot did not get Talbot. Tell me who that was who tried to ‘put the wind up’ you, mamma, and I’ll settle with the silly fool when I come home. Up to the present the ‘arms’ I always carry have been ‘loaded’ as little as possible and only on fatigue jobs. These are the only ‘loaded arms’ I’ve seen. By jove, I’d be earning the chevron they’ve given me if things were so. I was glad to learn that you received my photo and liked the tinting. I can make a good photo look very nice, now. Caz and I are going to have our own photos taken, so I will send one of those. I’m sorry you didn’t like the other. Most of the fellows thought it very good. We have exhausted that part of Tanta which is within bounds and only go out now for the sake of a walk, an ice or lemon. I have been having some interesting talks with a [young crossed through] Czeche-Slovak in our regiment about Polytechnic in London and I should do good there. I wish I had work to return to. I’m glad you liked Wuthering Heights. You would hardly believe that a girl wrote it, would you. I have just finished ‘Lorna Doone’ by Blackmore and enjoyed it very much. Caz and I spend a lot of time at chess between ourselves and with Barber the [young crossed through] Czecho-Slovak. He is nearly forty and being demobbed on ‘over-age’ grounds, but somehow seems young. Don’t object to my pipe or I will buy one of these ‘hookahs’. [Ink sketch of Egyptian man seated wearing kaftan and turban and smoking hookah] I like a cigar best of all. Please give my love to Maude and Louis and ask Papa to write. I am Yours lovingly Cyril You must go to the seaside or I will not write for a fortnight if I find you did not go. I hope you will have a good time.

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Verdcourt, Cyril,
Verdcourt, Helena Annie

army, Tanta