H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.
24 Nov
My dear Mother-
V. many thanks for your letter- I am late in answering because I was waiting for your letter. I had a letter from Dick on Tuesday telling me how he has met Topher & that he was trying to get Topher over to his unit – Must be awful out there now in that mud & cold – ugh! It’s miserable enough weather up here – but we have the advantage of having a comfortable mess & a cabin with a bunk in it.
We have had a few days at sea too lately – but I don’t think it was so bad there-
That new train service to Town sounds a good thing – most useful to the girls for weekends at Guildford I should think- I had a letter from Jane – I sent her an urgent letter to send us some wigs from Clarksons for our show – much better someone you know to choose them – I had a wire today saying they had been sent off.
What extraordinary things Jim seems to hear about where he is going! Hongkong sounds so extraordinary – is that the Portuguese show or his regiment.
Please thank Ruth very much for these beads – jolly nice they are – did you get that letter about a stock?
Yes- it’s pathetic about Roumania – and how truly ghastly about that ship the Britannic – & a hospital ship too – really it seems incredible that a human being can do such things in cold blood.
There is no more news really – I am awfully fit & well-
My bestest love to you all-
Your ever loving son
Paul
What I should really like for Christmas is some white handkerchiefs & ordinary blue or black socks – I’ve hardly got any left.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMHS_Britannic
Gaudy US documentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IziNuV1nDrU
2000 TV movie – looks bad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS598mAVSac