Sept 5/18

Dear Mother

No mail in yet, the last letter I got from you was just a month ago but it seems much longer somehow. A mail is expected today, but of course mine will be a day or two later from Cox. Tremendous rumours about mail having been sunk, and it seems something must have happened to the one we are expecting today as it is dated, I believe, June 19 & it took over two months to reach Bombay! They say it was torpedoed but they managed to beach the ship at Malta & save the mails. I believe mails up to mid-July from home have also arrived in India, so we ought to make up for all this long time without one. There are rumours of homeward mails being sunk too, but as usual no confirmation of this, & probably you know better than I do!

I am fairly busy up here, & picking up my new job gradually – Did you ever know a Col Stockley, – a sapper, at Camberley? He has had various jobs out in India at Simla & at a Cadet College somewhere, & is now with our Divⁿ. I seem to remember the name, though he has never suggested having known any of us when he has met me.

What really splendid news comes in almost hourly from France, it is nearly impossible to keep pace with it, & they seem confident enough to predict more and continued success. It really is most heartening and I am so glad for all your sakes at home, after the gloomy & depressing summer you have been through- But things are looking ever so much brighter now are’nt they and I really think a definite turning point in our favour has been reached now

What you must think of all us out here doing absolutely nothing while all that fighting is going on at home, I can’t think. There seems to be practically no enemy to fight here, & whenever we make a move he retires. I wish we could feel we were really doing something to help, but it’s very hard to imagine one is.

The nights and mornings here are really lovely, cool and dry and fresh, and since I’ve been here I’ve felt ever and ever so much better. Baghdad did’nt suit me at all, & that, coupled with the strenuous work we were doing there and the hot weather, made me feel rather run down & tired. But since being here I have bucked up no end & feel much better.

Well, the hot weather is practically over now, though it’s still hot at midday & we stroll about in short sleeves mostly. I have got some rather good films of Babylon which I took the other day, I must send you some prints as soon as I can get them done. I have’nt heard of Jim for years, I told him I was coming up this way, but it does’nt seem to have interested him much!

I’m longing to get some letters, as I’ve not had any news from Ben or Nell about Nell having been staying there. But I’m afraid this mail may also be in answer to mine saying my leave was off for this year, so it may be rather depressed. Poor old Nell, it is a shame, & I am so sorry for her

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

Probable cause of mails almost lost

• http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3245.html with http://www.atlantictransportline.us/content/27Manitou.htm