France
25.8.17
Dear May,
I have just got your letter to say that Mrs Bagrie had received some of Albert’s belongings including some spools, p.c’s etc & am rather surprised because these are things that are not allowed to be sent. Do you know if the spools were “used” or not. Possibly they were new ones but it is fairly hard for a novice to tell the difference, & it is quite possible that they were exposed before leaving Egypt. It is doubtful if they would turn out any good now but if it is not too late it might be worth while letting Rogers see them. I have just written to Mrs B this week but had posted her letter before I got yours. I am glad the regd packets I posted to Rodie
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had a lucky passage. Have sent a similar parcel to you this week & I hope you get them it alright. I have not been able to register it this time. Have written to Fred Hamer today to his English address & have enclosed the account of your Y.M.C.A. Gift sale. I think I told you before that there is a cousin of his in the platoon. D. Collins is in Hosp just now with a crook knee. I think he ran a nail or wire into it & that old trouble came on again, but we have heard nothing definite since he went away. I have not come across Andersson yet but as you say they have heard from him I expect they will get his mail regularly now. I am glad to hear that you have got a new horse. I think you had better give old Billy to the next Gift Sale. I wonder if that little bulb will
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flower this year. I never saw any of narcissi growing wild in Egypt but there were lots of little brown orchids or something of that sort, just like small brown hyacinths, & possibly that is what the bulb is, but I fancy the leaf was too wide. There is little news this time. We are all doing well & expect a quiet time for a few weeks at anyrate. A short time ago we got a new draft of reifts in & they were sent up the line on fatigue & several of them got nicely wounded & within 12 hours of their arrival were on their way back to Blighty, and yet here are us poor beggars toiling away month after month & can’t get a decent crack. Old Fritz doesn’t dish out the backsheesh at all fairly. Min Looney & the Hop. staff had to evacuate the place they were in because they took to dropping bombs on the town. They have gone further back now.
Love to All
Len
[Written at top of Page 1]
P.S. Met Dave Thomas yesterday. He is in our Battn & looks well.
[Archivist Note: refer to digital image to see that on Page 1 the letters s-t-o-m-e-r are all in bold. This likely refers to Saint (St.) Omer in France]
