Jan 19/19

Dear Mother

Just a line to tell you that our brigade has been detailed as part of the “post-bellum” garrison of this country, which means we’re stuck out here for another year at least.

All the regiments of the brigade are changing, and going back to India as they have been out here so long, so we shall be the old 34th Bde in name only, & quite different in composition. We are going to be stationed in Amara, and move there sometime within the next month I suppose.

The next question is what’s going to happen to us? The general does’nt think he’ll stay on in command, because there must be any amount of generals who will want jobs when peace is signed & the army reduced. Then again there must be lots of fellows senior to me, on the staff, who’ll want staff jobs, so I don’t know that I am by any means certain to stay on; I may go back to India or rejoin the rgt- it’s impossible to say: but I don’t mind much what happens so long as they give me leave home. So, as far as one can see, I shall be out here for a year or so yet, but shall move heaven and earth to get leave to England during that time.

Demobilisation is going on fast, & officers & men are being sent off in large numbers every week. I fancy they want to get as many white troops as possible out of the country before the hot weather begins. Rather curious going back to Amara, is’nt it, though I expect it’s altered a good bit. I expect Bde Hd Qrs will be in a house on the river front, so we ought to be fairly comfortable-

Yesterday it poured with rain all day, and there was a gale of wind. And this morning I went along to breakfast & found the mess tent flat on the ground, blown down during the night. I dread to think of the state of it inside after all last night’s wind & rain! However they are putting it up again now, so I suppose we shall get breakfast shortly- This is supposed to catch India’s weekly homeward mail, but I don’t know if it will.

Best love to all   yr loving son      Ted