Nov 23rd/17

Dear Mother

I have’nt heard from you again since I last wrote, but I have to write tonight as we are going out on a reconnaissance for the next 3 or 4 days & we shan’t be back till after mail day. No news much nowadays, it was very cloudy & muggy all the beginning of this week, & regular blue nose day. We had a certain amount of rain too, which laid the dust but made things very cold. It is much the same today, only no rain, but regular raw English weather.

I am taking out a column of cavalry & Infantry & guns tomorrow, and am commanding the show. It’s awful good fun getting these mixed columns to command, as it’s good practice in handling troops & very good experience. The amusing part is of course that most of the senior officers in the column are really senior to me, being real Majors etc, but I am senior to them pro tem by virtue of being an acting Lieut Col! So it’s a bit of luck for me, is’nt it- However when Hogg & Lyell join & I have to revert, I shall only take part in these affairs as a humble captain again, rather a drop from commanding the force to commanding a company! The fortune of war-

Good news from Palestine is’nt it, & just as well perhaps considering the rather depressing series of events in Russia & Italy. Really the Russians are rather trying, but I fancy we have cleared them out of our calculations altogether now. The Italian news is uncertain, but they seem to be preparing us for worse. Poor old England & France! We are bearing the whole weight of the war between us.

I rather fancy America’s entry will make all the difference, especially her air fleet.

Awfully sad about Genl: Maude was’nt it, so awfully sudden too. They say it was Cholera, but no one seems to know for certain. He was undoubtedly a very good man, with an extraordinary amount of energy & attention to detail- and he is a great loss.

I must have my bath now, & use some of the bath salts you sent. I used one cube the other day & it was gorgeous.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro_tempore

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution

Maude’s death in NZ Press 2 days earlier

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19171121.2.49