May 5/17

Dear Mother

Just a line to tell you we have got preliminary orders – which will probably hold good – to move up river, starting tomorrow. We move up in 3 parties, as far as Amarah for a start, where we shall stop for a bit I expect & I’ll be able to drop you a line from there I hope, but I’m trying to catch the mail with this letter, a pal of mine is sending it to the Base P.O. by special orderly, as the mail went from here 2 days ago. Whether it will succeed or not of course I can’t say, but it’s worth trying. But I thought I’d try & let you know as if we are on the move it may be difficult to catch mails.

I expect they will pack us into the ‘city of the Caliphs’ from Amarah as soon as they can; at anyrate it is a welcome change & we are all very pleased at the idea of moving. So don’t be surprised if you don’t hear next mail, you’ll know I’m moving or can’t catch the mail for some reason; this is just to let you know of our leaving here.

Lovely day yesterday, cool though a wee bit dusty, but the evening & night might have been spring in England; & this morning – I am writing in bed at 6 a.m. – is simply gorgeous.

Must get up now as we have a busy day.

Love to all

yr loving son

Ted

The City of the Caliphs (Cairo) book of 1897

https://archive.org/details/citycaliphsapop00reyngoog

Amarah

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarah