Sling
Monday 24th Sept
Dear Mother,
We are at last definitely leaving for Aldershot tomorrow. There are a certain number remaining here in camp for hospital work etc. for a few weeks but we do not yet know who they will be. Summer time is finished now so that we get up an hour later in the morning, but nevertheless it is some cold. The cold wakes me up regularly every night about 2 am. There is some rumour of only one blanket in France. If so I am not anxious.
The tucker for four or five days here was very bad and insufficient, but there is nothing to compain of now. We have an extra tea at the canteen every night. It is not difficult to spend 2/- a day in England. The big stunt is in progress over in France all right (Passchendaele?) but the New Zealanders do not seem to have had much to do with it yet, though there is an impression that they will have before long.
The letter card you posted on June 10th about in hope that I might receive it before I left I just received day before yesterday so you see how reliable the mail is. So if a mail passes without you hearing from us don’t jump to any conclusions. Alec is on draft leave now and will be going over very shortly. Charlie does not go on draft leave for over a week. He ought to just about strike the great air raid they seem to be expecting next full moon. Something is going to happen with aeroplanes over London if I am any picker. I cant find anything more to talk about. I’m afraid I wont be home in time for Xmas.
Yours
Neil
P.S. Maybe we will be in time for Easter.