Lahoal P.O.

Sept 7th 1914.

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. I was glad to hear how things were going on at home. When you wrote I fancy things were worse than they are now. People are recovering a bit I expect and things are settling down. Dreadful though the whole thing is. We, as I told you hear nothing, we don’t even know the names of any killed or wounded, and although we get telegrams every day they don’t say much. The Germans at present seem to be doing too well. It’s all very fine our retiring, however well it may be done, it’s retiring all the same & it means the Germans are advancing.

Ben will tell you she has decided to go back if she can on a trooper. She’s wise. She may lose the P & O ticket, but the expenses in the end will be less & she will get back much quicker as a P & O is sure to stop in all sorts of odd parts.

We expect another mail in a couple of days. It generally arrives here on a Tuesday but if any does come it won’t get here till Thursday. It seems dreadful all these people rushing off to get married, I suppose they think of the pension.

Still very quiet here. All sorts of men in the regiment get odd orders, but it’s all very muddling.

Please thank Dreda & Jane for their letters. How funny Jane meeting Lena Cook that was, I had never seen Nora but I’m sorry she can’t dress, as she was said to be so pretty.

I wonder when the man whose work I am doing will get back! I shan’t mind if he does’nt come at all.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Richard