Christmas Eve/17
Dear Mother
Still no mail in, though I believe tis quite close up now, and may possibly arrive tomorrow, and very appropriate if it does. They say there are 3 mails all due together, and we certainly deserve some letters as we have had none since Nov 28th.
Not much news here. This past week has shown us what Mesopotamia can do in the way of rain and mud. We had 24 hours’ rain last Wednesday (this is Monday) and the whole camp was turned into a quagmire; but it dried up in the wind of the next few days, though the weather remained raw and very cold. We had one fine day since then, and last night down came the rain again so the mud and slush are once more in full swing.
It is cloudy & cold again today with a promise of more rain. Rather a pity as we have had to postpone the Brigade sports on account of the mud: we were going to have races & football matches and all sorts of frivolities but heaven knows when we shall be able to have them now. All our men have got warm clothing and they need it badly, but officers are still without it, except one or two lucky ones who happened to have some.
Today my one and only pair of riding breeches has gone to the wash – fancy washing clothes in the icy Euphrates this weather! I’m glad I’m not a dhobi – so I am shivering in shorts and a greatcoat. We are getting some thicker khaki from government stores, but it has’nt turned up yet.
We have a holiday tomorrow and boxing day, & originally we were going to have the sports and races, but now we must be content with the holiday only, which will be very welcome as we have had only 3 Sundays off from digging since last September. Two years ago today I left England to join the rgt: in Egypt; and I certainly never expected to be away as long as this! This weather is most awfully English in every way, & we had a good old November fog all yesterday.
Best love to all yr loving son
Ted
