1 15th Gen. Hosp. Alexandria Jan. 15/16. My dear old Celia It is rather an age since I wrote to you I'm afraid
I pity you on night duty. I'm afraid I'm due to go on again
soon & I do so hate it. In the meantime I am still in my
tent and they are opening up more tents againhas them sent
a sister she seems a dull but decent old girl, & funnily enough
had a V.C.D. in Manchester called Duffin who came from Dublin.
I am off in the morning today which is rather unusual for
me rather nice for a change but I should not like it often.
I have been out taking photographs I hope they'll be a
success. I took an awfully fond lot as the duchy when
I was seeing Celine Russell off but unfortunately the
roll stuck in my camera & the light got in when I was trying
to get them out. I was in the sick room for five
days with a Gyppy Tummy not very bad & I rather enjoyed
snuggling down in bed when the others were going on duty since
that I had an awful swelled face which made me feel
much in there really, though I was on duty, but now I am
quite all right again. We had a week of awful weather,
storms & tropical rain which flooded everything, came into
the corner of my room & ran down the wall. I like
the letter which you sent me very much, didn't you get starved. 2 2 The club was swarming with officers and there was a band
playing, quite a gay scene! The other day I had my 3 hours
off in the morning & I and another V.A.D, Miss Watson went down
to the docks to take photographs, it is a fascinating part, and
we went all through the corn markets buy through part of the
native quarters. I hope the photos will turn out well for they
should be rather good. I am pleased that Sam has
got a post at home, & that Charlie is mentioned in dispatches.
Marjorie has only written to me twice & Aunt Margaret never, not
even for Xmas. They are funny people! I suppose
Terry will have been home on leave by the time you get this.
How you will enjoy having him! Can't Celia get some
leave before signing on again, I think she should!
Tell Molly I may get her some stones, but the people are such
cheats here I must wait till I get hold of some one who knows
some thing about them. I had such a nice
patient last week, quite a gentleman in the .
Company, I used to think he must hate eating off enamel
plates & drinking out of bowls etc. with the others but he had
not a bit of swank about him. He has some
& I had a letter from him yesterday. They nearly all write
& often come back to see me if they are in camps here, it is
a miracle to me how grateful they are for every little thing
you do for them. I had an embarrassing Australian
who has now gone I am rather glad to say, he used to call me 3 sometimes for the want of a little leisure and a nice book.
Some one sent out a dear little collection of poetry, all old
favourites with some books for the Tommies & I have kept it
as they would never read them, and it was a perfect joy
to see some of them again. I wish you would get abroad
somewhere, it would be so much more interesting but if you
came out here you would be here for all the hot weather.
Have you signed in for another six months. My time
will not be up till April. Poor Dessie's affair
sounds to me rather a fiasco. It is a pity! I don't like the
sound of him at all. I have nothing to tell you for I
have been having a very quiet life lately. If I could only
show you the people, it is a perpetual ammusement to watch
them. You see a woman swinging along with an enormous bundle
on her head and a child perched on her shoulder, sitting up as straight
as a reed though it only looks about a year old, or a man in
a lovely blue robe riding on a white donkey with big milk cans in
panniers at each side, or a very old man bent double with a
big water skin on his back, there is a picture at every corner,
but descriptions are dull I think, & nothing in the way of photographs
is much good for you live the colour. Best love my dear Write again when you can Ever yours Emma.