DURING the Egyptian Campaign, my mother had an experience which I
have never been able to explain with satisfaction to myself. One
night she was lying awake when she saw the bedroom door open and my
brother, who was serving with the forces in Egypt, walk up to the
bedside and gaze at her with an intense wistfulness in his
expression. After both had remained motionless for some moments, my
brother retraced his footsteps, and vanished through the doorway.
My mother was so impressed with the apparition, that she took note of
the date and the time, feeling sure that some fatality had occurred
to my brother.
When the war was over, and my brother returned home again, he dressed
up in his uniform with sand-goggles, etc., and my mother at once
recognised the dress as that worn by the apparition. On comparing
notes, it was found that my brother was seriously ill of dysentery at
that particular time and, fearing a fatal termination, was controlled
by a passionate longing for the presence of his mother.