1 20 B/F/1/20
18th December 1915 My own dearest Mother, I received your most welcome letter
dated the 5th Dec: also the Photo which gave
me more joy than anything else possibly could
have, I kissed it & rekissed it & long for the day
when we shall be together again, it will be so
nice having it always before me out here. I think
it very good & you look absolutely sweet in it
ofcourse it will never in my mind be as nice as
you really are, it is inclined to make you look
older than you really do but on the whole I
love it & will always treasure it. I am very glad in a way to hear Aunt Lily
is coming out especially if it makes your mind
easier but I think honestly for her sake & mine
I would just as soon we were not at the same
Hospital, also as there are better than this place, I
think it would be nicer for her to go to a place
which is in better running order. also I think
she would find the running about very trying—
However whatever is best happy as has been
my case so far, I am happy here because I
love the work, although at times we are over worked.
The place seems to agree with me as I am
looking very well & have got fat— My Staff
sister is a dear & very fond of me & seems to appreciate 2 2
wait my efforts which are poor enough Charlies letter was a delight to read, he is a
splendid boy & such spirit, it is too bad about
Singleton, perhaps he will be sent here for a bit
on his way home, he seems to have had a
nasty time of it— How splendid it would be
if Charlie has his Captaincy, I sent him 11/-
worth of food stuff yesterday, I hope he will get
them alright, I suppose he does not know I am
in Malta. How delighted they all must be at Clyde Rd over
Uncle Charlies return, I had a very nice long letter
& cheque for Xmas from him, he writes in the best
of form, I am glad he went home Granny would
have missed him very much— I had my second dose of innocutation against
Para-Typhoid, the day before yesterday, but we got
no extra time off this time infact I went on
immediately afterward, my arm has be so bad
yesterday & to-day, I have done all the nurses a
good turn for when the Dr was passing my block
this morning he asked to see my arm which is
terrible red & swollen & when he saw it he went
straight up to the Major & said we were to have
24 hours off after the next . does, so some day
next week I shall have a nice long day to write
you a very long letter & tell you all about our little
doings in Matla for Xmas, 3 3 You would have laughted at us last night
six of us arrange to meet at a certain place at
7 O'ck & then go on to dine at a Hotel, which we
all understood, two V. A. D said they would go & engage
table at which every Hotel they thought best well we
all met at the so called hour to find they had
done nothing about a table, so we said we would
chance it, so the six of us tramped to Hotel
hoping to be lucky but when we arrived all the
Tables were engaged so we ask the Manager, a very
polite Maltese could he not put up a table somewhere
for us & a Lady who was evidently staying there
offered to allow 2 of us to sit at their table, so the
manager explained very nicely it was not the room
that was worrying him but that was very sorry but
there was not enyough for us to eat so we marched
out like a flock of sheep &just met another V.A.D
who said well if you go & join the Nurses Club
you'll get your dinner so off we marched again
with light hearts but when we got there they said
we could not get dinner till to-morrow as our names
had to be sent up etc, anyhow we all signed our
names & left 2/6 our subscription for a month
as we thought it might turn in useful some other
time, but by this it was about 7.45 & our old
friend Blackney the Tea Shop closes at 8 were
we generally make our meal of eggs & sausages
but woe & behold all they could give us were. scones 4 4
& Tea, with a girl reminding us every 1/2 min: we
close at 8 O'ck so you can image our rush & meal—
we were all very cross as it spoilt our whole
evening really. Did I ever tell you the Plum
Pudding arrived safely, I am now only waiting
to hear if you were able to collect & how much
for my poor men for Xmas, I am hoping it
may arrive before to-morrow as I am going into
Valletta with Sister after tea to do the Xmas Shopping
for the men, it would be so nice if we remain as
we are just now, so few are no diets, it would make
it very easy to give them a nice Tea - or something
of the sort. Did I tell you we have a New M. O.
a ripper as far as the men are concerned
he gets them plenty to eat & infact orders them
anything they want he makes it a little harder
for me but that does not matter so long as they
are pleased & I h am able to do it— It is very late at night & I should really be going
to sleep. but I am so happy & excited to-night we
got a new convoy in & they nearly all turned
out to be Irish & mostly 1sth Division, one
young boy has been attached to the 6th Dublins
& says he remembers Charlie who he left well
about 2 weeks ago this has cheered me up
so & it will be so nice having some ofmy
own dear country men to look after especially
if they are in either Tommy or Charlie's regiment 5 5 I have one 5th Connaught man who did not
accually know Tommy as he was not with them
at the beginning but he know Massy & says
he is well & Adg now. Captain Cooper has
gone home on sick leave also Harvey. & when
he left Dick, had not turned up. I had very
little time to talk to them as naturally I
was terrible busy we got 22 new ones & most
of them have frost bitten feet which had to
be done up— some poor things with their
toes practically eaten away, their description
of the place is something awful
& the cold seems appalling, they say the
ground is something terrible to get over &
A. S. C find it nearly impossible for the
transports, I really have not had time to
get particulars but will in a few days &
shall write you all the news perhaps some
of the other Blocks will have some of
C. own men. I have asked every one
to find out. I am as happy as I can
be & am looking forward if only the
money turns up to give them a jolly
Xmas, it will be so nice having so many
Irish they do make such a difference on
the wards with their hearty laughs & jokes.
Ofcourse all the old men give me a hot
time of it now— 6 6 Well I shall end this now as it is
very late & have a busy morning to
face. I shall write very soon again &
tell you every thing. Every time I look at the Photo I like
it better & better. The men say a good
number of R. D. F. Came on the ship to
Malta so shall call when out to-morrow
at Wounded Bivuak to see if I know any
so as to get real new of the old boy Charlie.
With all kinds of good wishes for the
New Year.
Your most loving & grateful
daughter.
Marie