2nd letter
No 2 Discharge Depot
Torquay
April 24th 1918
Dear Mother
I have shifted to the above place this afternoon. I made the attempt to get some money this morning, but it was a wash out. It doesn’t matter, though, because even if I had the money, a cable to you even at 2/8 a word would not be delivered for four weeks – so says routine orders of three days ago and they never lie. A deferred cable 1/4 would not be delivered for six weeks and a weekend (8d) is out of the question. So I must simply trust to your sending that £15 I asked for from Cayeux. It may come in time for my leave. If not, I shall find some inexpensive way of putting in the fortnight in quiet meditation or something. I shall write an anticipatory letter to the bank in London so that there will be no delay about my getting it if it does come.
The tucker here is very good and the beds are the same as those we had in Hospital, sheets, feather pillows, 4 soft heavy blankets, spring mattresses etc. I am in a marquee. I am feeling rather more forgiving towards the authorities tonight now that I know I cant get money from NZ anyway. It is Anzac Day tomorrow. There is a bit of spree on here, concert etc, and I am going to stroll out on the ran-tan and blow the 6d that is left out of the bob I borrowed yesterday. I tried to get Vic’s parcel tonight but the P.O. was closed. The orderly room clerk took a note about it though. I have written London asking them to forward to me any parcels for Vic that are unclaimed. Like my check I don’t know whether they’ll send them or not. If there are any not from 10 Paget St I shall not open them in case they might contain anything intended for Vic alone. One never knows does one? I have still not heard from Trot or Mac or Charlie or N.Z. or anyone or anywhere else on this planet. But I dare say the letters will begin to blow in now that I have given up my roving life and settled down.
I saw Brown the chap who occupied the next bed to me at Trentham, at Walton. A heavy HE 5.9 exploded between his legs and they haven’t been found yet. He is quite gay on it though. Dellow has been wounded I don’t know particulars. There is no one else that you know whom I have seen in the lists. They dont seem so very heavy considering, but there is a safe feeling over here in Blightty that is very pleasant. Not that I was ever anywhere very unsafe in France, but I always was expecting to be somewhere where things were happening in another few weeks.
I am feeling pretty fair now, but I am still anaemic, so I may be in Blighty some time. Major Hosking at Walton told me to get my rt. tonsil cut out, but I am not going to rush it after what the quack told me at Cayeux. Its a horrible messy business anyway, and I very much object to the idea of an anaesthetic – one is so liable to give away personal history while coming out of it.
Wish Clyde many happy returns for me. I’d send him a card or something if I had any dough. The same applies to Doug
July 1st.
When is Vera’s birthday – I cant place it at all, somehow, I usually have rather a good memory too, for anything with figures in it or regimental numbers etc.
I think I might spend my next birthday in Blighty.
Ever Yours
Neil