15.9.18.

My dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter & that lavender. The first letters direct here, & today I am off (he’s bringing some ink) on some other stunt! Go on addressing here though, they will roll up some old time. It’s a nuisance being pushed off, as I am quite happy here, however “c’est la guerre”. How sad about E Hatch’s brother, he was such a nice boy I remember him (here’s the ink) quite well. I hope you don’t get another
attack of lumbago. Aspirin is the stuff to take.

What a pity they are turning Ruth’s hospital into a malaria place. Nothing else to do but give quinine. No dressings or anything. Did’nt she ever write about a transfer to Marseilles. I wrote to her when I was there, she never said anything & cannot have got my letter. The news is good nowadays, I only hope it’s a beginning of an end.

It’s a pity I have to leave the garden I started. Some seeds are coming up, but they appear to find some difficulty in the sand.

I have an amusing cameleon who is a great friend, & is great at catchng flies. Huge long tongues they have, that flips out in an extraordinary way & nab the fly. It’s no good giving you any other address, I don’t think.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Richard

I see quite a lot of Swan

Edgar Francis Hatch of Great Bookham,
Surrey, 28

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/785773/

Does Richard sound almost relaxed for once? The comment about the cameleon is charming. It’s also interesting that he has planted a second garden in Egypt after leaving his previous garden in France. None of the others mention gardens at all – Paul was too busy with sports and theatricals and Ted too busy with his men or writing to Nell, poor Topher was too busy fighting, and who knows what Jim was doing.