Not a very good letter this, I fear, because I am in melancholy mood which is silly and helps not at all. All this business, for all the niceness of the Area Commander and the Colonel, has made me strangely sad at heart. Moreover I am lonely still and I am ashamed to say, rather homesick and only your company could serve me now. It’s largely the winding up of our men, who are back in camp and so sorry and nice, and the fact that its a glorious evening and everyone is out, and finally those damned Russians are singing interminably in the Minor key, endless repititive tunes which are not musical but probably make them feel better. If I were a dog I would lay back my head, raise my nose and howl at them. They chant on and on. I was tempted to go to the Opera to hear Tosca and sit with the lady’s family, but I have been two evenings and it would be likely to spoil my welcome, I went last night, and had a quite gay time, and my Italian improved. But tonight I’m lurking indoors, reading Trevelyan who is rich and good but again nostalgic for my own books and you in some strange way, and writing letters and studying irregular verbs – Italian, most irregular. So I am stupid and like my Syrians, I Want To Go Home. But I can’t so that is that. I shall do, and what a home to go to, what a treasure house it is, with you, the principal treasure of all.

                        Maybe you are at Kellering today, I hope so and think of you there a lot, and I await news. Bless you all so very much. It is weak and wayward of me to get melancholy. I think cricket will be the answer, and we start again on Tuesday, and that will ease the vagueness and nerviness. We have domestic problems, too. We lose all our batmen of course, and we have to get two Italian boys and a cook, which will be all right if they are all right. It will work out. There will now be an interim period for winding up our affairs and for the legal proceedings against the thirty six we have kept back under close arrest. After that we shall be posted to other companies, and the brigadier has ordered that no one suffers in loss of rank through it, which will help, if his order can overcome the problems of fitting extra Captains (2) and subalterns, (5) into companies. Anyhow, that later. I feel I’ll be all right, as I am a Group man and belong to it well and truly. But that later. We will lose out transport, my lovely 15 cwt. Nevermind, as my son Richard so wisely says. More quotations from his Deeper Sayings when you have any.

                        A fine parcel of six pairs of socks today, from Mother and Auntie Edie; I feel a bit dreadful about them, but they are welcome. Yes, at last Mother paid in the cheque, into out joint account, where she will guard it as any lioness ! What can you do ! The paymaster has found out that he’s been overpaying me 1/- a day since 10 October, when I got my captaincy ! Silly man. The Family allowance is 7/6 for Captains and 8/6 for subalterns, so he should have docked us a bob and hasn’t. He’s taking it back, £7.15 or some such, half in May and half in June.

                        I’ve done no writing at all lately, I’m so sorry. But I have been through quite a trying time and my energies have been used up. It’s a weak- confession, but it is difficult enough in this uncongenial atmosphere to write in normal times, and now I find it impossible. Not very clever, me. After this I shall sit in my camp arm chair and read Trevelyan until I am sleepy. Heigh ho. Cricket is the answer failing the real answer, your voice and presence.

                        Yes, the Batmen were loyal throughout, Felix was extra kind, and is very sad about going away from me. He is a good man. Most of them are, the few are not. But we could handle them easily now, I’d take them on. But for discipliniary reasons they have to be treated thuswise.

                        How dull all this must be for you. Nemmind. I’ll have a good concentrate at your picture, you and he, and then read and then to bed. Busy day agian tomorrow. Nemmind.

                        Dear, how I am fond of you and dependent on you.

                        And don’t be sad at my melancholy, by the time this arrives I’ll have played cricket and will be cock-a-hoop.