c/o Cox & Co
Karachi.
March 17.
Dear Mother.
I got a letter from when I got to Bombay dated Feb 3, & now another on from Suez dated Feb 9. We arrived up here on 8th and are opening a hospital for people from Mesapot. I expect we individuals may have to go up there to replace men who have been there sometime. I shan’t mind going, but I will never believe I’ve got to go until I am there.
Karachi does not seem ½ a bad place. We are allowed to wear mufti so I’ve had to buy some! Is’nt it rot with all that mass of stuff at home. I wish I had the car & so do lots of other men wish they had brought theirs, but as we were ordered to Egypt no one ever thought of bringing cars or mufti. No 1 hospital who are here as well, were originally ordered to India and have brought all their clothes & cars.
June is here with me. I have rooms in a hotel, it’s cheaper than living at the club. There’s a Gymkhana club here where we play tennis & Badminton & dance twice a week. I’ve had to hire a bike to get about on.
Ted did’nt tell me much about that woman he saved. She was crying out I’m dead I’m dead & Ted said no you are’nt & dragged her along. I am sure he ought to get a medal.
Yes it must be lonely at home. I expect you are glad of the dogs to keep you company! Do you remember how that cat used to annoy us, following around. Topher is allright still then. People say this Mesapot business may soon fizzle out. You do not say if Dutton has sent those boots yet. The air raids seem awful nowadays. I don’t think you’d better go & live near London. But I suppose no one is safe anywhere nowadays. They ought to turn out every light all over England.
I never saw Geoffrey or Wooldridge. We were only in Alex a day or so. Ted only said address him c/o India Office as then should he be shifted they know, & send letters direct. He should be out here now. I left a letter for him with Cox at Bombay. I am glad Paul is pleased with his ship.
The heat here is similar to Assam but there is a continual breeze blowing which makes it so much cooler. There are no rains they say. So they post those wk end cables do they. They are quite cheap from Egypt only 3d a word.
I did’nt know Cicely was being confirmed. Yes Ben told me Wiggs was Capt. I ought to be ought’nt I? I’ll see what I can do. Fancy Ben being so overcome when she found that bag. I thought she would be.
May Louth engaged is she? I believe there are some quite nice girls here, & I expect I shall get to know them soon but I rather go to Mesapot.
Best love to all
Yr loving son Richard.
Dust blowing about so today. Grit all over this letter. Feel it? I’m writing at the hospital, no patients in yet we are busy getting ready
“Mesapot” is Mesopotamia, roughly equivalent to modern Iraq.
Mufti is non-uniform clothing.
