This is an extra & very hasty letter dashed off midday Monday.  It to reassure you that we’ve had no bombs here.  I didn’t even know there had been a raid on a N.E. town.  I expect it was Hull.  But nowt here.  Oh, your letter was posted urgently, or so you said, & was written on the 14th.  That’s last Thursday.  Naughty Postie.

                        ‘Scuse pencil, I am writing this with my eye on the door, ready to finish at a seconds notice, hence the pencil.  Its Company Training this afternoon, we become Infantry Companies instead of Artillery Batteries & I have my little dose of section leading.

                        Oh, I should put the day on letters & fore or after noon as well as the date.  Dates mean little here, except September dates.

                        I can’t wire you when we don’t have a raid here because if I make myself clear, I don’t know when we might have had one, see ?  But I’ll send lurid details when we do, a promise.

                        Now look here, young woman, I’m still closing my ears to a terrific clamour of excitement, pride, wonder, fear and anxiety & the whole Christmas Pudding of emotions.  I won’t be concerned yet.

                        But will you at once telephone Mrs. D. Fitz & have her advice. D’you trust her, I do. She was terribly tidy with my spleen. So unless all has settled down, please see her & let me know. I perspire ! Candy or a bicycle ticket ! You’ll send Tristram Shandy won’t you ? I’d love a copy of Vanity Fair, but not yet. We’ll buy that together.

                        We’ve all our kit on this afternoon, bottles water, tools entrenching, pouches ammunition & so on.  Here we go, I’d better dry up.  This will be posted by 5.30, our last post, & my normal letter comes this evening.

                                Here I am, in the very lap of luxury, with clean sheets & a nurse like Eva Unwin & kindly orderlies & a temperature of 101.  So the proofs sure to come.  Its customary for soldiers in hospital not to tell their wives.  But somehow I can’t lie to you & anyhow you know my bi-annual malaria well enough not to worry.  So don’t betray my trust in you and us and get scared.  Its lovely here.  Michaelmas Daisies on the tables, clean sheets, a large sunny room & only two other patients.

                        I’ve been trying not to go sick for a week.  But last night I asked an orderly at the back door of the M.O. for a draft of Quinine & he took my temperature & told me to come again this morning.  The sergeant saw me, & took me to the M.O.  Capt. Macgreggor & keep on me here for a few days rest.  So I have two doctors, two nurses, & three trained R.A.M.C. orderlies, the nicest fever I’ve ever had.  Its a pity about giving in, but I’ll soon catch up with the work, so I’m wallowing in luxury & have your picture by my bed & you in my thoughts.  I slept all the morning, & most of the afternoon.  Now I’m going to write this & then sleep again.  I miss a gold watch but the wristwatch does its best.  Dr. Macgreggor is a darling.  He’s just called & discussed my fever.  He excuses me of Humbug & says I’ll not be put back by a few days lazing here.  He’s a man with a quiet smile at the eyes, a soft voice, “healing” hands.  Obviously a first class M.O.

                        Ernie & Eric & Wilfred have just been in with the days news.  Very gay & sympathetic & perturbed.  Bursting for jobs to do, so eager to help.  Of course they put it down to laziness !!

                        I was RIGHT TO say so, yes ?  No worrying.  Its just a routine fever, Anthony’s way of giving me a rest.  A vast mug of cocoa has just come.

                        Oh, I’ve got the pansiest pair of pale blue woolly (non sandy) pyjamas & a grey dressing gown, & by my bed a vivid blue tunic & trousers & a red tie.  Like a railway Porter.  Thats for walking out when I’m convalescent.  Its all a racket !

                        Don’t worry about parcels, I’m a bad parcel sender, all nice people are.  And when your parcels do come theyre always very gay.  If you ever get an egg box, or can post six eggs sometime, we can have them boiled in the Diner for tea !  Do eggs still appear in the nests ?  And how are the sweet peas ?  I’d like to know if they’re good, I can imagine the row, & you cutting a bunch, helped by Candy, Sukie & Emily.  How are the kittens ?

                        Has my little parcel come.  I hope the hens present arrives safely let me know.                    No more now my dear.  Because its so damned awkward writing in bed.  Now for sleep (its 8o/c) & tomorrow I promise to be better.

                        Remember, NO WORRYING !! ” Being in hospital” may sound dreadful.  But actually I’m lying luxuriously in clean sheets with my watch to listen to, your picture to look at & many THOUGHTS WHICH ARE STILL CURBED.

                        No air raids here at all.  I’ll send details when there are.  But Scarboro ‘doesn’t seem to interest Jerry at all.

                        How is Mrs. Anderton, & Klaus & everyone.  Tell people I’m fine-o, you needn’t mention the hospital, I’m ashamed of it.  It’s a very mild “go” brought on by the injections I expect.  I’m beautifully treated, but I would like a scrambled egg as you do them.  But the little frying pan in your case when you come, maybe we’ll have picnic suppers in your room.  Yo Ho for that time.

Please answer these :-
1   Any apples at all
2   Can I have some
3   It is the lawn cut ?
4   Sweet peas out yet ?
5  You aint worrying ?
Because by the time you get this, Wednesday I suppose, I’ll be O.K.  again !

                        And if anyone worries, I claim the right & the cause.

                                    God Bless you, darling