Postie knows; today he brought a letter posted by you on the 22nd ! At least, Mrs. Edwards the Post said it was the 22nd, & you, doubtless eager for time to fly called it the 27th, tomorrow. A nice letter, although you were very understandably hurt about Eric H being home. If he did get home on a Compassionate LIAP he’s very naughty, the allocation is pretty severe & anyone, an officer, who cheats is depriving some genuine case of the leave, & that is very naughty indeed. However . . . They are fortunately nothing to us.

                        Odd thing happened this afternoon, I was semi – unpacking & came across my precious Betty – letter – box & could not resist a dip. The letter I pulled out was 1 March 43. You had had Fitz up to look you & “Dickie anne” over. Fitz was quoted by you as saying – “they ought to make David an Adjutant. But they are damned fools & they won’t find out his qualities until too late.” And today – the same day I read the letter, I became Adjutant to 4 Docks gp- !! So here I am. I take over from the present one as soon as I can. I’m quite pleased, it’s a good job & as a stranger here I can really do something. It’s a full-time job & I’ll be very busy – many things to change when I’ve really got the wheel. Moreover soon there will probably be very big administrative changes & that’ll be fun to handle. A merging of groups & ours the key one. So the job will grow & certainly keep me busy & full of mental activity – a good state of affairs & healthy & time-consuming. I’d got the other job too well in hand for it to tax my energies really. Now I have a job where I can really earn my pay & feel like time’s not wasted. So now, from being a Company Commander I become Adjutant. It’s a job I turned down in 1943 at Salerno, quite wisely I’m sure. And about the turning down of the G.H.Q. job – know, it was not because of your wanting me home, only half that. It was because I wanted to go home to you. I’m sure this job is better. We are in the throes of getting ready for an inspection by the G.O.C. on Friday – so I’ll take over all sleek & furbished. Great cleansing & smartening up, even a suggestion of polishing the Regimental Pig’s trotters !

                        I visited Alex this afternoon. It’s a fine broad cosmopolitan city & Things in the shops. Everything. Edgeworth tobacco, cameras, shoe shops full, all shops full. I bought Dickie a pair of sandals & nearly bought yours. I’m taking time over yours. I’ll send Dickie’s off. A col & his (Greek) lady, 3 shopkeepers & an R.N. Lt. Cmdr – all went into committee with me over the size for Dickie. They will be right in 6 months we decided ! Now I seek a little box & will send them.

                        A Gymkhana on Saturday, Polo, racing & camel racing. One should go. Madame Butterfly is on this week but I fear it would be nostalgic ! Anyhow I’m staying in this evening with Graham Green’s “The Power & the Glory”. Tomorrow I start in on taking over. The climate here is splendid, sun all & every day of course, but a sea breeze. It’s very cosmopolitan as a city, shops are named in Arabic, Greek, French, English & oddments. Everyone speaks at least 3 languages. It is wealthy, European rather than Oriental & has abundant gardens & parks with real grass.
Oh, Important ! Stupid me. When the M.F.O. Box comes please immediately pack my S.D. (coat trousers & cloth belt) & repost them by ordinary post. At the time I didn’t know of this move, & here we are dressy & as Adjutant I have to set the tone. In November we revert to Battle Dress & S.D ! So please whisk it over as fast as possible !!! Stupido Io !

                        Oh dear, I do love you & want to be at Great Alne. Alex is a fine place – (very expensive) but Great Alne, with you in it beats it all ways. Tell me what you most need; lipsticky things, clothes, foods. Here is abundance. All is laid at your feet.

                        This World wide turmoil is so very sad, though inevitable. The Russians & Americans have such cheating ways & all the little people lose their tempers so quickly. And the Jews & the Arabs ! In War was a certain peace. In peace is no quietness.

                        With you & with our princely little son, there is peace & the real deep tranquillity which is happiness. Bless you, dearest