Neil – Mother: 20 Jul 1918

Hornchurch
Sunday about 20th July 1918
Dear Mother
I enclose a letter that I wrote last Wednesday, but forgot to post. Trot came down Wednesday and Friday and I went to the big smoke Saturday (yesterday). We went to the Coliseum, but the show was nothing great. Trot was intending to go up Glasgow. He will probably be back next weekend, when I shall probably be able to wangle leave and see him again. I commence my duties as an Educational instructor tomorrow. As soon as I am classed B3, probably in a day or two, I don khaki and get all sorts of privileges. I am in hospital blues at present, of course. I shall be doing English for the present, but have got the thin end of the wedge in for mathematics, when it is taken up. Probably will mean some extra pay when the business gets going a bit. An awful war isn’t it?

I received the two birthday cakes, Vics and mine last Tuesday. Mine was a bit mouldy in one part, but the marquee sergeant got that bit so it didn’t matter. The rest of it was perfect and so was all of Vic’s. Just thank him and wish him many happy returns for me. Trot’s also was A1, I tried some of it yesterday, he had it at the Shakespeare Hut with him.

Now that France is sort of receding I am beginning to feel like a civvy again. I wish I had that brown box of maths books over here. I am thinking of becoming a surveyor after the war if it ends.

Yours
Neil