20 August
Dear Mother
Many thanks for your letter from the Isle of Wight. I do hope you had a good long time there & feel the better for the change. Poor Jim getting sand fly fever. Lots of it here too, but so far I think I have escaped. Tap wood. Arthur Morse must have been lucky not to have been wounded before. I wonder what his son & daughter are like. I remember his daughter quite well. Such a ripping little girl. I met her in Scotland about 10 years ago, & of course she must be quite grown up by now, and as tall as Arthur Morse I suppose. Give her my love when you write.
I cannot imagine what Janet Ryder must be like. I do wish I had gone to see the Morses when I was at home.
We’ve just had a convoy in & being registrar I have to receive them an’ all.
Did Ruth ever apply to go to Marseilles? I wrote and told her where to write to.
I’ve written to Evelyn this mail, I wonder if she has been to see you again.
Nancy’s brother is near here I hear. I must go over & see him tomorrow. I only heard yesterday he was in the offing & I’ve been wondering how we are related, & I have decided that we are no relation at all until Paul gets a baby, then we shall both be uncles to the same child, so must be related somehow.
A mail has come I believe, but my letters got to Alex first, so I have’nt got mine yet.
Best love to all
Yr loving son
Richard
Found my grey suit?
Nancy’s brother was Major Charles Francis Trollope Swan MC of the 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade –
Sausthorpe roll of honour, immediately above Paul
MC award notice in Edinburgh Gazette, 29/6/15
Mentioned on pages 60 & 67 of The Rifle Brigade: A Memoir by Andrew Buxton (1918)
Search for information on forum by her daughter Clara
Nancy’s brother is 3rd from the left in this 1909 photograph:
Captain Somerville- Lt D Ovey – 2Lt C F T Swan – Lt T Baring – 3rd Bn RB -winners of the Officers’ Challenege Cup and the Wellington Cup – Aldershot Command Rifle Meeting 1909
