April 6th
Karachi.
Dear Mother. Many thanks for your letter (March 5.) No one seems to have had a letter from me the mail you wrote, I think I was at sea. The snow at home has been awful from all accounts. I am glad France does Jim no harm, he only takes drafts over does’nt he. Ben has’nt written to me lately either.
The Zep raids were awful were’nt they, but I suppose everyone was awfully pleased they shot that one down in the Thames. What a good thing. How funny Susan should love the snow so.
I wonder if that was me in that picture Ruth sent. May have been. Topher seems to have had a rotten time, I do hope he found his pack. I had a John Bull from you, many thanks. Was that the one you thought would make me laugh.
That cutting about those forceps was most interesting. Why Jim in gaiters & spurs. Where’s his horse?
I am riding again now. The races come off next week & I have a mount or two. L’or I was stiff after my first ride, but it all went off in a day. You see we get lots of tennis, so I’m in fairish training. However I doubt if I shall last out the long hurdles race, over a mile, & I believe the horse I am to ride has a good chance.
I told you I bought a motor bike the other day. I gave about £12 for it. It would just go, a “Cathorpe”, & I’ve been fairly tinkering & cleaning it up since. Had the valves ground in & fixed up, & the tank repainted & now it looks so smart & goes so well I ought to get twice as much for it! There’s a big demand for them here.
Evelyn tells me you sent her a postcard saying I had gone to Bombay. Many thanks
I’ve heard nothing yet so far about my application for a move.
Best love to all, I must stop as the mosquitoes are biting me.
Your loving son
Richard.
Please send a big photograph to
Mrs H.C. Laws
Dum Duma P.O
Upper Assam
India.
I had a photograph taken there.
You shall see my moustache
Details of downed Zeppelin
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/document/8920
Biography of pilot who helped down it
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3b46/brandon-alfred-de-bathe
Photo of wreckage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70607220@N04/6781168393/
Painting: St. George and the Dragon, 1917, IWM
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/17723
Calthorpe motorcycles
http://www.calthorpe.org/Englisch/modelle_index_ENG.htm
