1224/5 Shipworking Sections R.E. C.M.F.
No. 222

Dearest…
Of course, this is absurd, the feast of music we have here, and so cheap, in that only am I extravagant.    I think its good for me, and anyhow that’s my tale.    Last week there was Lucia on Tuesday and a Beethoven Concerto and Tchaikovsky symphony on Wednesday, and yesterday, Sunday, there was another concert with the Grieg Piano concerto Handel’s Water Music and Beethoven’s Pastoral symphony and this evening the Anglo Polish ballet and tomorrow La Boheme, and maybe the same concert again on Wednesday, maybe.   Yesterday afternoon the theatre was packed and men standing at the back, 80% British soldiers and sailors. An Italian barrister I was talking to yesterday said that the amazing appreciation of good music by the English has given the Italians a new faith in the future.   Certainly there is a mass of still faces seen from my favourite box, second tier No.2.   Not a move and the stillness is electric.   It’ll be the same at the Ballet this evening, and tomorrow at La Boheme.  The concerts have been on three nights a week even since I came here first last December twelve month and never a poor house. Why can’t we have such music in Britain?    There will be a big demand,  Naples was the same, the doors of the San Carlos are closed half an hour before the show and a crowd waits hoping for a miracle,  in Rome you have to   book your seat at the Opera at nine in the morning and there’s a long queue.  Its not officers, all ranks. And its spontaneous, there is no advertising or Army Education behind it. There is Chamber Music at the Y.M.C.A. three afternoons a week, and piano forte recitals at the NAAFI,  Its heartening.

All goeth well. I took the picture and the polyphotos to Lanave yesterday and he exclaimed with delight.  Spoke of your Spirito and genius in the design of the sketch. He’s going to mount and frame it for me.   He loves the others and can’t decide which to do. Its between three now and he’s puzzling it out and then making our alabaster framed parchment miniature. Nice thing to have. Mother tells me she’s been sending you old pictures of me. That’s not fair. We all fall from grace anyhow.  Everyone here is delighted that Richard does not take after his father.

The Colonel took me last night, and I dined well at his Mess and afterwards we ate dripping toast again and talked of books and Shakespeare. Funny, us two. Some seamail came yesterday, the Brash nice letter which I will answer and the 31 Dec Bank balance sheet. I have not sheet No. 8, got 6, 7 and 9. Might mention that to Careless when you are in some time. Also a gigantic parcel of punches from D’s friend. About six months of them. Nice, three XIX Centuries, too. Shot on the pistol range this morning, bang-bang-bang.

Poor Dickie had Molar temperature when you wrote the last letter, the 31 Jan-9 Feb letter. Poor he and you. Its a nice thought the three of you, Candy he and you, in his bedtime hour and me-lettering too. He had written something himself unaided. A definite cross it was with very heirogliphycal twirdles. I liked it. I see now that it was Em in the picture but how handsome she is, how sleek and well turned out, how staid and lovely?    She must be about nineteen years old now.    She was said to be eight when she came and that was five or six years ago. Ageless Em.  My love to her. She’s Dickie’s special I imagine. A goodly Cat.  Our Em. The Sergeant Major’s white cat has eight kittens in his room, very kittenish and skittish they are to be sure.  I’m forging ahead at long last with the Glasgow play. Its been sticky because I have lacked driving power to make myself write it. One finds such things somewhat pot boilering, like washing up. All right once you get going on it good and proper.

Springy here already, soon be more so. The bad weather may return but not much. Allan and I are awaiting a joint free day to go out on the saunter in my motor and to go via Cerignola.  Will call then at the Francesco family.

Finished one round of ABCA talks with the men this morning and its a Good Thing. Next on the British Empire I think. I don’t know. They respond to treatment. I’ve got a feud on between some Aleppo gangsters in civilian life and some Beirut ones, each trying to be cock of the walk. I’ve got one for Court Martial and shall get the ring leader of the others any day now. There will be a knife fight one of these evenings if we don’t watch out. Great Alnians are not so violent as these but similar idea. Different way. Great excitement on Sunday had our photos took, in Sections and in Gangs and British personnel. I’ll send a batch when they are through. Arabs love having their pictures taken.My love to my son, and I hope his molars and up and doing and nay trouble – neigh trouble…hoarse throat ….I don’t know.    Bless you all. I have sent off the combs, not what I wanted but might serve. In a tin. Also an ordinary comb for no reason at all and some stamps, for you or Fitz’s Michael or Chris as you deem fittest.    My love to you… Now for some of the Glasgow play. I love you & think of you morning & night.
All my love
Ever   David   XXX