Featherston
12/7/16
Dear Lottie
Again I am going to try and find something to write about, by the time one gets everything done nowadays there is not much time left & when there is time one feels more like to have a spell. The weather here this last week has been very mixed & is not a bit better than our own Southland the only thing it is not so cold & neither do we have the same periodical gales. The worst of it is now that we have the horses we have to take them out, wet or fine, for exercise, still it is much better for us to be out than to be hanging round the huts all day. The work we are doing now is more interesting than it was up until last Saturday. We are on advance work now & this keeps us on the road all day and sometimes if one is lucky enough to get on scouting there might be a cup if tea on the go while reconnoitering around some of the farm houses. About half of the squadron got morning tea & cakes while halted on the road in front of a house the other day. They bought out two buckets of tea & a big tray of cakes but as it did not happen to be my half of the squadron I was not in it but might have better luck next time.
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There is some great rumours running around here just now if I was to try & relate them all I could fill a whole page but as I do not believe anything until it comes out in orders it would only be a waste of time. The latest report is that the Mounted Base has been removed from Egypt to India what truth there is in it remains to be seen. Anyway the fifteenths are supposed to leave here tomorrow & join up with the forteenths in Australia. You evidentally were misled when you understood that the fourteenth mounted sailed from Wellington as I daresay by this time you will have found out that they sailed from the Bluff. Another report is to the effect that we are to have the horses eight weeks, that is we will be rid of the a month from today, then have sixteen days leave & sail ten day after. At any rate I think we are sure of fourteen days so that will not be so bad if we can get away from here on Friday instead of Saturday. If we cannot it means staying in Ch.Ch. over Sunday. I had a letter from Kate last week & from what she said the Marama is on her return journey but she herself was thinking of getting transferred to a base hospital. If she does that there is no knowing where she might land. It might be her good luck to land in England.
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Just had a letter from Jessie & as I wrote about a week ago & said that I was going home & not North but that after leave I might manage to sneak a few days & get as far as Auckland & from the way she writes they think it is assured I hope they will not be disappointed. They all seem to be well & having a good winter up there. There is nothing more to write about that I can think of just now so I will have to stop. I am going to shout supper for some of my mates so will then be ready to sleep well. Tell the other Nurse I accepted message & hope that she will accept the same from me. Perhaps I might meet her if you are in Dunedin when I go through “Eh”. Hoping this finds you as well as it leaves me.
Ever Your Brother
Charlie
