H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.

Jan. 10

My dear Mother-

Very many thanks for your letter. The mails are much better now. I got your letter yesterday – but I did’nt have time to answer it. Having quite a good time here at present, I have been ashore once or twice – & today we were to have played hockey – but the weather is so rotten it’s not worth it.

So Ben has gone to another canteen – funny child – because about 10 days ago she wrote to me about getting her a job with this Pal of mine Nance Swan – Mrs Conway G’s niece – because she knows of several jobs in Town – so I wrote a long letter to Nance explaining everything – and to Ben too – & I heard from Nance yesterday saying she had written to Ben to meet her in Town to-day – Wednesday – & fix things up, so I hope Ben was found by letter at Vickers Canteen! I wired to her, so I am wondering what is happening.

So glad to hear Rosamond’s thumb is so much better. I have been through my ususal cold – felt rotten for 2 or 3 days – but am alright again now. I heard from Dick too – he told me all about Topher.

Well I must end now – with ever so much love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paul

Paul was in fact enamoured of Nancy Swan and had mentioned her aunt Mrs Conway Gordon a lot in his recent letters.

Nancy’s father was Colonel Charles Arthur Swan C.M.G., M.A., J.P., and her mother was Ethel, only daughter of Colonel F.I. Conway-Gordon. Her brother was brother was Major Charles Francis Trollope Swan MC who was born in 1887 and her sister Marjorie was born in 1886.

Nancy herself was born in 1895, making Nancy 22 in 1917 to Paul’s 28.