1 Basra 25 June 1918 Dear Reverend Father Provincial, P.C. I am attached temporarily to No.1.
British Base Depot, here, the ordinary chaplain having
gone to hospital. Continue to send letters to Bombay. I had
a letter from your Reverence lately, dated I think 7 April, in
which you referred to the safety your priests in the great
push. I hope FrMacSheahan has since given signs of
life. I wrote to FrFitzgibbon to congratulate him on the
V.C. FrGanoldS.J. passed through Basra about three
weeks ago. He is now somewhere up the line with a Cavalry
brigade. Hot weather has begun. At our Church in the
town the thermometer has been up to 111oin the shade and is
always over 108o during the day. In less sheltered camps it
has been as high as 122o in the shade. One great blessing
is the comparative coolness of the nights. At present there is a
strong wind blowing out clouds & clouds of dust. All the
roofs of houses, and all military huts are simply dry mud, so
when a wind blows it is like burning purge on the hill
at home. And of course the desert is simply dry mud too. I have been able to say 19 Masses for Fr Farley in
June; I shall send him a separate note, but it would
be better to tell him in case of accident. Last night
Reuters contained the result of East Cavan. There
must be great rejoising. I commend myself to all your prayers, Francis M Shaw S.J.