Neil – Mother: 24 May 1918

(Written on a Souvenir Letter Card)

Torquay
24-5-18
Dear Mother,
I am on duty again tonight. I never really ought to do night duty (5 p.m – 11 p.m) but the chap who ought to be on has most urgent private reasons for being off every night this week (his girl’s here on a holiday), so like the noble fellow I am I take his place when I have nothing else to do anyway. I was medically examined again this morning. He tested my heart, made me do some physical jerks, and then tested it again. The he wrote on my medical sheet, “Heart beats irregularly – sound muffled – short of breath on exertion”. I don’t know whether there is anything in it or not. It may have the effects of keeping me in Blighty a few more weeks. I don’t mind; Torquay would do me for duration. I got a parcel, a tin of butter from Gorrie yesterday morning. Many thanks.

Neil