Torquay
22-5-18
Dear Mother
I am still here carrying on with the temporary duty in the medical room. In addition I go downtown each afternoon to attend a “commercial” class. Attendance at one or other of the YMCA classes is compulsory for convalescents, so I chose commerce because you can sit down to it and you don’t need to get your hands dirty.
Last Monday was Whit Monday – a great day in England, like Easter Monday in N.Z. I went with 50 others on a free excursion to Dartmouth . Two of us lost the other 48 as soon as we got off the ferry. We didn’t feel like wandering around with the Padre looking at castles etc, and there was no obligation to do so. A number of others drifted away from the party by the time the afternoon came. We were rowing (or drifting) on the Dart River all afternoon and evening, in pleasant company of course. We were the only two N.Zers to have a boat. All the boats had been booked days before by picnic parties of the residents, but we managed to hire a private one. We had an excellent time. I still have two nasty blisters on my palm.
The weather here continues beautiful and we have a good bit of spare time. It is every bit as good as a leave being here. I shall certainly not be leaving here before Friday week 31-5-18, and possibly not then. When I leave here, I leave for my 14 days leave, and then report back to Ewshot, and then, providing they don’t trouble about my throat, back to France. But I’d bet on still being in Blighty after you get this. The relapse that was due when I wrote last did not come off. I am coming to the conclusion I’m well. I have no arrangements or prospects in view for leave yet. I don’t know where I am going or who, I am going with. I do not want to cover the same ground as Vic.
Yours
Neil