Postscript to previous letter
8th.
I’ve just been talking to the Chaplain & he seems to want a “fair linen cloth” for the Altar – So I said perhaps you could make one – Will you have time do you think? The size is 6ft long by 15 inches broad.
Best love from
Paul
H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.
7th April
Dear Mother.
Thanks for your little note of enquiry – I am perfectly allright – and I am still one behind you – I’ve never seen one yet!
My Thursday’s letter went just after I got yours – so you will have seen by the date.
Will you send this on to Dick – I don’t exactly know how to address it-
Rosamund says she will do something for our Church.
Lovely day again to-day-
Very best love from
Your loving son
Paul
P.T.O.
Paul continued on the other side on the following day.
This letter shows how frustrating it is to have just one side of a correspondence – what hasn’t Paul seen? From the context, a zeppelin or an aeroplane seems the most likely.
April 7/16
Dear Mother
Very many thanks for your letter last mail. I’m afraid I’ve got most awfully behind hand with my correspondence, I never seem able to deal with any. I get out of the office so late & absolutely brain weary that I don’t feel inclined to anything, & certainly nothing in the writing line. How I hate it all, but I’m afraid it’s got to be done. I try & get a game of golf in the evenings, anything to get some nice clean air & some exercise. There should be a mail in today, several letters arrived yesterday, but ours addressed India office always roll up a day late.
I have had an enlargement made of that litle photograph of Nell, the last one she had taken, with her hair up. It looks perfectly sweet and it is the only big one I’ve got of her. Everyone seems to have heard of her up here, anyhow lots of people have said to me that they’ve heard she’s very pretty & nice in every way, & people to whom I have shown her photograph always are quite overcome. However, I know there’s a good deal more in old Nell than her physical beauty, which, though something & something very very sweet, is by no means everything is it mother. I hope old Nell will be able to go & stay at Guildford for a bit soon, I want you to get to know her well, & she you.
More air raids I see, though we seem to be a little more successful lately & have bagged some Zepps I see. What an awful time poor old Topher has had, but I’m thankful he’s all right. It is a shame he can’t get any leave, but I supppose there are big things just coming off so they simply can’t spare anyone.
We got Reuters yesterday with all the new Taxes in them; of course they will be severely criticised, & everyone will say the working man is’nt taxed enough, but on the whole they seem fairly reasonable; we’ve simply got to face it & there’s an end of the matter. It will tend to force economy on people a bit I suppose & will bring the war still more home to them.
It’s lovely up here now, nice & cool, but sunny. I have begun sleeping outside in the verandah, it’s gorgeous; but this won’t appeal much to you at home with your snow & blizzards will it! By the way we’ve seen no more about that blizzard of a week or so ago; I do hope some real spring weather has begun now, how the troops in France must have suffered.
10 o’clock, I must get off to work. Excuse such a hasty scrawl mother & tell the others I’ll try & write next week; I’m most awfully sorry about it but I simply can’t cope with the situation. I’m very fit & well & going strong.
Love to all
yr loving son
Ted
April 6th
Karachi.
Dear Mother. Many thanks for your letter (March 5.) No one seems to have had a letter from me the mail you wrote, I think I was at sea. The snow at home has been awful from all accounts. I am glad France does Jim no harm, he only takes drafts over does’nt he. Ben has’nt written to me lately either.
The Zep raids were awful were’nt they, but I suppose everyone was awfully pleased they shot that one down in the Thames. What a good thing. How funny Susan should love the snow so.
I wonder if that was me in that picture Ruth sent. May have been. Topher seems to have had a rotten time, I do hope he found his pack. I had a John Bull from you, many thanks. Was that the one you thought would make me laugh.
That cutting about those forceps was most interesting. Why Jim in gaiters & spurs. Where’s his horse?
I am riding again now. The races come off next week & I have a mount or two. L’or I was stiff after my first ride, but it all went off in a day. You see we get lots of tennis, so I’m in fairish training. However I doubt if I shall last out the long hurdles race, over a mile, & I believe the horse I am to ride has a good chance.
I told you I bought a motor bike the other day. I gave about £12 for it. It would just go, a “Cathorpe”, & I’ve been fairly tinkering & cleaning it up since. Had the valves ground in & fixed up, & the tank repainted & now it looks so smart & goes so well I ought to get twice as much for it! There’s a big demand for them here.
Evelyn tells me you sent her a postcard saying I had gone to Bombay. Many thanks
I’ve heard nothing yet so far about my application for a move.
Best love to all, I must stop as the mosquitoes are biting me.
Your loving son
Richard.
Please send a big photograph to
Mrs H.C. Laws
Dum Duma P.O
Upper Assam
India.
I had a photograph taken there.
You shall see my moustache
Details of downed Zeppelin
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/document/8920
Biography of pilot who helped down it
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3b46/brandon-alfred-de-bathe
Photo of wreckage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70607220@N04/6781168393/
Painting: St. George and the Dragon, 1917, IWM
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/17723
Calthorpe motorcycles
http://www.calthorpe.org/Englisch/modelle_index_ENG.htm
H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.
5th April.
Dear Mother – Thanks very much for your letter – they seem to arrive the same time as usual in spite of the Zepps – the latter seem to have done a good deal of damage this time – good work getting that one through.
Have you ever sent those old Cordwalles Chronicles to Mr Voules – he would awfully like to see them I know – but I remember you saying something about having them bound first.
One or two days lately have been ripping but as yet they don’t seem to last very long.
Just seen a rough idea about the new Budget – fairly sticking it on are’nt they – but I suppose it must be done sometime.
That rash of mine has nearly all gone now – but it seems to remain in this sort of condition – and still itches a bit – it ought to go soon – I’ve had it for such ages it seems now.
I have’nt heard a word from Rosamund as yet about the Church things for which I asked her – whether she would do – I sent it via Delaford I think as I could’nt find the address at the moment. Glad to hear Topher will be home fairly soon – he deserves a good bit of leave – but I don’t suppose he will get more than the ordinary five days or so. Good for Jim getting his second star – I must write & congratulate him – I did’nt see his name in the Gazette.-
There’s not very much news this time – I am awfully fit – except this rotten rash annoys me-
Very best love to you all.
Your ever loving son
Paul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_London_Gazette
Paul’s description of Jim’s “Second Star” suggests he’s been made up to a full Lieutenant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army_officer_rank_insignia
