Dearest:    Three days since I’ve written. The reason being that I found It necessary to throw myself wholeheartedly into the social & normal life here to learn the language of this new life. There are many people I must understand & docket, two Colonels to get familiar with & a new way of life to become initiated into. As I’ve had a very hectic & not unenjoyable three days. A diary form of account will be the best. To register the end, I’m now sitting at my rather imposing desk, in a good basket chair, two telephones & a lot of lists pinned to the wall & a modern lettered nameplate on the desk saying Adjutant, 4 Docks Group. It Sunday morning, 11o/c. As usual the weather is very pleasant, blue sky & a few gay white clouds, & the treetops of the Greek Cemetery & the tall well blocked buildings, beyond all bright & dark shadowed.

                        But let’s tell you of the past three somewhat unusual days. While here I shall live quietly & as economically as possible, but first I must do as the Romans do, and then, when I’m settled in, adjust my way of living. There is a certain amount of social & convivial activity necessary to the successful running of this job, but it will be minimum for me.

                                On Wednesday I spent the morning in the office & touring the billets with my predecessor, a certain Desmond Smith, from Sussex, a likeable type, intelligent & a little fashionable. He’s very friendly & helpful & I think capable. The billets are large, a Fascist Italian school, a modern building in Fascist style, brilliantly designed & very fresh, young & imposing, well  steps, “streamlined” towers, long wide windows, courtyards. But the interior walls are plastered & the water pressure won’t reach the top floor, & the drains are dreadful ! However, Sapper services have coped & the billets are very fine in wide open ground, with finely built schools, the British Girls School one of them, around. After touring the place it was lunch. We work  hours, 6 – 1230, & 5 to 730 hrs, leaving the afternoon free for swimming, racing, tennis, sailing, golf & all the “Sahib activities”. Also garden parties & sleeping. On Wednesday afternoon I explored Alex & liked it. In the evening I stayed quietly in the Mess, wrote to you & then played Bridge & so to bed.

                        Thursday morning was used reading through the files & so on, going to the bank for money & that morning passed. In the afternoon I went off with another bloke to the local bathing beach & very fine it was. The usual Med. colour & warmth, & a soft sandy beach to sprawl on. & so back. In the evening I went out with our very enthusiastic young Education officer to the H/Q of a Palestine  A.T.S. where he gave a gramophone recital, classical, & very peaceful. But the room was so warm, the chair so easy & I’d drunk so many Guinness (4) that I slept gently & sweetly. And so back to the mess. So ended Thursday.

                        And at that point the telephone cried – I live by telephone – & the Sunday morning’s activity ensued. In the afternoon I went out swimming at Sidi Bist, another good beach, & we disported ourselves in the rollers & great & playful they were, and in the evening I settled down to continue writing & the top Colonel here invited us to play poker & I did for policy & fun, & made 25 piastres & so that day ended ! Now it is 8o/c Monday morning & a day begins. I’ll get this off & continue this evening.

            Rather chronicalistic letter, I’m sorry. But still all I see & like, all that pleases me, I need you with me. And I do love you so very much.