Jan 25/19
Dear Mother
Very many thanks for a letter dated Dec 10th which arrived rather unexpectedly today. We were expecting a mail certainly, but it was reported to be up to 18th Dec, & also not due till the 27th, so this seems as if it must be an extra somehow.
Such wet weather we are having and cold and raw too. To-day started off fine enough, but we have one or two heavy showers this afternoon. On the whole though I think it looks brighter all round. I’ve just been eating some of those lovely nuts Rosamond sent: they really are extraordinarily good and have kept so fresh and nice.
No news, everything going on as usual. People leave every day en route home on demobilisation. Leave prospects are unknown, but rumoured to be not over-bright, for regular officers at anyrate: but I expect it’ll all come in good time. I see the peace conferences have begun in Paris & there seems to have been a good deal of preliminary squabbling in a good-natured sort of way. Let’s hope they all agree on the vital issues at anyrate.
You say you had letters from me up to 10th Oct, & Nell says she has them up to 20th. She has been very busy lately looking after invalids, & also making a new frock which sounds very beautiful from her descriptions. And she’s been going to dances and all sorts of frivolities- I’m so glad, & I’m sure it’s very good for her.
I don’t suppose you had many more letters from me after the 10th, as we left here so soon after that and I’m afraid a long time went by without my writing at all; but by now I hope you are getting letters regularly every week, & we shall be too I suppose, especially when we get to Amara. Yes, sickening losing all those warm things in that Kit bag was’nt it: no, I’ve never seen a sign of them since, but have managed to get along somehow, with my trench coat and your woolley and some judicious borrowing.
I wish I could get 10 days’ Xmas leave & then some demobilisation leave. But it’s harder to get leave from this country now- especially if you are a regular – than ever it seems- I had to retire to bed for 2 days at the beginning of the week with malaria, feeling an awful worm. I think that getting wet out duck shooting the previous week & then not changing must have brought it on. However they gave me quinine and told me to stay in bed and I soon got alright, but it was unpleasant while it lasted. Never shall I forget my first efforts in that line when you & Jinny & Bridget all sat up in turns with me! I did feel rotten.
I’m most awfully sorry to hear about poor Bob. Ben told me in one of her letters I got last mail & it came as a tremendous shock to me. Jim told me he and his wife had done so well, & both got mentions, & he was always a good chap with lots to say and a large heart. We shall miss him a lot-
I must scribble a line to Nell now: weekly mail in full swing. Though I don’t really pay much attention to them in these barbaric spots. I wish we could get a 4 day aeroplane mail started: would’nt it be lovely. Awful sad about Prince John is’nt it: he seems to have been ill for years & no one knew it, at least it was’nt public property-
Best love to all
Yr loving son
Ted
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Peace_Conference,_1919
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_John_of_the_United_Kingdom
