H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.
Wednesday. 10th
My dear Mother-
V. many thanks for your letter – and I am so glad you had such a good rest at Pitney-
Ripping photographs those of Jim’s wedding – think I must have them mounted & put in a frame-
I am still having a jolly good time here – though I was fearfully busy all last week with our men’s Concert – 3 times we did it- & they want to do it again to-day at the local Hospital- but to tell the truth I’m bored with concerts & am not going – only making the arrangements.
I’ve seen a lot of Mrs Conway – I go there a lot – & she is kind- She has a niece staying there now-, an awfully nice girl – Mrs Conway’s been in bed with a chill for a couple of days – but we go & have tea in her bed room.
We are having a slight blow up here again – & makes boat work rather rotten.
I must write to Topher & cheer him up – poor fellow. I met a Lieut in a ship yesterday who was at Canterbury with him – Bellairs by name-!
Hope to go out to the Hills’ to-day if I can get there.
So no luck with the mantle – any chance of getting one in Guildford anywhere?
With much love to you all – ever your loving son
Paul
Mrs C.G. sends her love to you – I asked her to write-.
Not the same Bellairs but may be what precipitated the -!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlyon_Bellairs
Paul was increasingly close to Nancy Swan during the summer of 1916 and early 1917, possibly via an existing friendship with her aunt by marriage, Mrs Conway-Gordon.
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.
