1 reference D2109 /10/1/C 3rd London General SW March 15th Dearest Mamma Many thanks for your letter
which I got this morning as I was at East
bourne all yesterday. I heard at 9—30
that I was having my day off next day so
sent a hasty wire to Olive and in the
evening rushed home to my billets and
gathered my goods together. I missed
the first train by 5 minutes which was
bad luck and had to wait an hour
at Victoria before I got another. However
I had some tea at the station and got
to Eastbourne at about 9 o'clock. Emmie Hulbin is still there, a pretty little 2 girl with a soft baby face and Miss
Roberts was very kind and gave me a
specially good dinner. It turned out
a fine day next morning so we wandered
down by the sea and then walked round
by the Goffs to see the Donnets. We met
Winnie who is pretty but rather second—
rate looking and, according to Miss
Donnet has is more or less engaged to
two or 3 people at once. A little
further on we met the Colonel. I was
sorry for him he seemed so down in
his luck and so much more the
little old gentleman. He reminded me
more than ever of the rat with the astracham collar. He was asking affec—
tionally about you and seemed to
have pleasant memories of Belfast and
Dunowen teas. After lunch,
we walked over the Downs towards
Beachey Head, and it was really
pretty there and quite hot the gorse
just ready to break into flower—
We sat on a plank of wood looking
over the sea and I quite enjoyed it.
We called in to see Miss Randall's
school. and It is wonderful the way
she runs it she is very dark &
energetic looking and not at all
like Harry, but she reminded me 3 of him when she suddenly swept
two large cakes off the table and
said I must take them home for
my supper. She had a funny
collection of pupils, including one
sporting old man with a white
beard, who said as it was war
time and they could not to keep a
servant, he must learn to help his
wife in the kitchen. Mrs Donnet turned up at Miss Roberts
for tea as she heard I was there. She
looks much the same as ever and
had been riding over the Downs. I
think Winnie must be a bit of a
disappointment to both of them — Many thanks for sending 4 me the verses which arrived safely.
Please let me know what I owe
for them. I am writing this on my knee
over the fire as I have an afternoon
off and it is raining outside. Work is still slack, and a quarter
of us could easily have holidays
instead of hanging round the wards
trying to be busy. We have
only ten patients left in our
ward now, and only 3 of them
are in bed. Olive was looking very well but
I think is very sick of her job
and needs a change. There ought
to be plenty of jobs going these days 5 Has anything been heard of poor old
Charley yet? It is sad for him hearing
the news out there— I suppose Danes—
fortwill be closed for a bit— I was sent in the other afternoon to
look after the Editor of the Gazette who
was alone in one of the side wards
with Bronchitis. He is an ugly little
man, in private life on the staff of
the Daily Mail, and now a stretcher
bearer. He used to be a ward orderly
before the males were banished— Well best love, dearest, I hope
we may all meet at Dunowen
before long. Ever your own Celia