An ordlnary letter yesterday, posted on the 11th, as quick as the old air letters. You say you’ll send these shorter ones and oftener which is a lovely idea and thankyou very much. You told me of the little basket Mrs. Butler had had made for Dickie, and described Dickie and Edward playing Ring an ring of Roses.  You also sent Francesco’s letter which I will have by me and deliver if I go anyhwre near Rome or even send by civilian post. Don’t see why not. I will.

                        A nice Careless letter today, saying we had a hundred and fifty of the best in the bank, from which mother’s fifty will be deducted. I hope she will use it and not leave it in our joint account. It will anyhow give her something to use if she can bring herself to.

                        Yesterday…let me see. Dockyard office, office afternoon and a careful tour with me new sergeant major, Hardee who sent the silk, was Staff Sergeant, now has the poached egg in place of Samuel Bebbington gone home on Python. In the evening we had some net practise and then I went at half past eight to my Gaon family. Amused the children and put them to bed, and told them the Three Bears in Italian, and then listened to the news from London on their Radio, that was before their bedding down, drank some vino and tried to point out to them that if Tito tries to use force to get his own way he will be dealt with just as Hitler was for the same reason, and that there is time for discussing Trieste when tempers have cooled and food and medicines are brought into Europe, and then we talked of this and that, ate cherries and home by 11 o’clock. Office and out to Staff A at Area and JAG about a FGCM we have on Tuesday, and then cricket this afternoon against some nice gunners. I failed with four runs, but took three wickets for 24 so that’s all right. This evening, cricket talk and a trip to the docks and here I am.

                        It has just occurred to me how much easier it will be, if Dickie talks and understands English. The few young friends I have made here all speak Italian.  It will make things so very much easier if he can understand English, bless the boy.

                        One of my men, named Omar, asked me to stand for him recently and took a snapshot. He presented me with it yesterday and a large enlargement. Here is the snap, for Mother Anne, and the enlargement is coming on its own. Not very good but a touching thought of the soldier. They will bring me buches of roses now, because I once thanked someone for them on my desk, also strange fruits. Odd lot, they are somehow getting very affectionate and pleased, in a personal way. And the things I give them in Company Office,  a rummy lot. You’d love them, especially the naughty ones.

                        One knows nothing, but it seems to me that my group will be out of the army for good and all by next February. That doesn’t mean we’ll be overseas until then. It might be that we come home in the Autumn, have leave, and then do Depot or reforming work until our group comes up. Early groups are off right away I think. They’ll get home and out and that’ll mean many changes. It’s all very much a state of flux just now.

                          Patience, and faith, the worst is over, anyhow, one has survived. Bless us all.

                          Bless you, too, and write whenever you can even little notes.