No 1 Company
N.Z. Discharge Depot
Torquay
17th Sept 1918
Dear Mother,
Another week has come and gone and there is still no word of another boat. It is unlikley that any more boats will be leaving this month but the probability of one early next month is pretty good. The tin of brown Betty arrived with the tin of chocolates last Friday and a tin of biscuits from Vic on Thursday so I am faring pretty well for parcels since coming to Torquay. Life here is fairly monotonous when one has lost the first novelty of the place. Girls are simply abundant and there seems to be ten times as many girls as fellows here so there is no difficulty about getting a young lady friend to take to the pictures or theatre and to supper afterwards but somehow or other I seem to spend all my pay easily enough without that. I am as canny with the baubies as ever you see. The brown Betty was very good and I have been speculating as to the recipe. I bet on brown sugar and ground almonds as the first two but after that I am somewhat uncertain. It is very very nice anyway so don’t lose the recipe.
The biscuits that Vic sent arrived as crisp as possible. It is remarkable how well they keep their condition considering the time they are on their way and the treatment they receive. There are eight of us in the marquee and during the last week I have been the most popular man there. My fountain pen is just about dry so you will hear from me again next week.
Cheerio
Norman