Another Great and Glorious Victory. Tomorrow we move to swagger billets in the camp proper. When the units first came they were given an old hutted Italian camp attached to but an offshoot of the rather dressy begardened parade-grounded barracks where five companies (British have their homes) Its been a long battle of mine to get billets in  the main camp and at last we have it, tommorrow we ups with our tents as it were and moves over to nice tiled shining Fascist billets. Its a fine recognition for our poor dears, and Higher Ups are being wooed round. So we have been busy arranging the new lay-out and tomorrow we move.

                        All goes well, with their new liberty the soldiers are good as gold, very smart and we have worked hard every day on a ship all to ourselves, ship and quay, and everyone is pleased. So we go on.

                        Your Romsey letter came this evening, posted on the third, a record in delivery, it must have just flown over. What an Odyssy of a journey and don’t you Pick Up Americans, with Dickie as chaperone. Photograph carrying soldiers are dangeroos, I am one. Very dangeroose.

                        We may be moving one of these fine days to Greece, I am quite keen on the idea, a nice change anyhow, but its only chancy chancy. May not come off.

                        Now, you must Sober Down about Leave. Everyone at home is getting far too optimistic, the home press is naughty and so is the BBC. Leave is improving, but there are many of us and much work to do here and transportation is tricky. You Must Not Expect anything. There is a chance I’ll get leave, but it is by no means certain and newspapers must be read with care. We are all rather cross, because less sensible wives than you get all worked up and then write angrily to sappers and accuse them of not wanting to go home and the poor sapper is very upset. Mother has written quite full of assurance that its a matter of days. The home press must have gone balmy. There is more leave and the army is doing wonders and all units are terribly short because of leave, I’m four short out of sixteen British for example. Some companies are a hundred short. We are patient and know the problems, but the Home Press is making news items out of unreliable forecasts, I may get leave, but its quite uncertain and may be anytime between Novemeber and February, Anyhow I can’t think of it until Feaver comes back.

                        Yesterday afternoon I left at half past two and went early to Gioia, and arrived at half three and they were all siestering, of course. Giorgio was siestering on the roof so I joined him and shared his mattress until one by one they got up and came up, and we sat there and talked and drank tea. Then Poppa, Giancarlo, Lo Zio Vezio, Giorgio and I roamed in the vines and ate much fruit, muscat grapes, wood nuts, wall nuts, almonds, plums and prunes, meddlars and figs and even ripe pomegranates. Then we played cricket under my instruction, and then ate two chickens outside by lamp light and then back. A nice jolly country day.

                        Dickie will be getting some rich impressions of the world, Great Alne, Alcester, Birmingham, Kettering, now Romsey and the sea. Bless the boy. Did the passengers at Cheltenham all bite at his bun ? Did Candy go with you and sit in American knees ? How is Mark ? or is it Marc, after Anthony ?  Al Signore is merely To Mr. Mr is Signore or Signor if the name follows. Has that box of sweets come yet, one to you and one to Christopher ? I hope so. I’ll write to him, a normal cheery letter about this and that and nothing at all. Now in fact.

                        I’ll speculate on sending this to Romsey I know Auntame will forward it if you’ve gone. My love to her and to my son Richard, In this maelstrom of people and relatives I hope he remembers one forlorn and exiled relative who wishes him well. Though I send no donkeys I send my love and have his pictures at hand for dally looks at, I have decided to do some construction when I get home as rehabilitation drill. I’ll beg timber some how and begin with a sort of spare shed for shoe cleaning and so on, an unambitious gentle and one follow up with the Igloo.

                        Now my love, and bless you. Bless them all, the long and the fat and the small. Huggle Dickie and a kiss for Candy. A bow for Marcus and greetings affectionate yet suitable for Auntame. For you a lot of things, my love entirely,..