1 7. West Cliff
Eastbourne 12th Nov 1915. My dear Aunt Ellen, Thanks so much for your letter I
put off replying till after I had been to London.
I went up on Monday last — stayed for 3 days
with the Miss Bruces, where Hilda Swannir
was also. I was rather unlucky with poor
Celia as I only saw her for about 1/2 an hour
the first evg. when she rushed up. It was well
she did as our arrangements to meet the
next day were frustrated by her returning to
bed with a rheumatic chill. At first she
thought it was mumps & was carried off to
a quarantine ward & I was much alarmed
thinking of her that way for months without
a friend to see her. This morning she wrote
she is much better & has been out for a walk
& has a fire in her room, perhaps you will
telephone this to mamma as I wrote to her
yesterday. I went to see Iris & Tom Tom Sinclair (cousin) badly wounded who were just leaving
to return to Woolwich that afternoon.
Tom looks not very well yet but says he is
going to be alright now. I think he was pretty 2
bad, but now that he is better it is well for it
will keep at least 3 months longer at home.
Iris looked very well & is looking forward with
much happiness to the arrival. Her brother was home on 5 days leave & just
going back that day. He is at Ypres also &
must be somewhere near Charlie. London looks very full & very busy & many
soldiers & foreigners about. It is dark at
night but not so very dark as Eastbourne
where one has to grope one's way around after
sunset. We saw a whole row of German
guns on view at Whitehall. There are very few busses & many vans and motor
vehicles driven by women and women porters
at the shop doors.
Dorothy & my collection for the Hut is getting
on well. I have about £35. mamma says
she has for me a contribution from you
which is very good of you all 3 Today it is pouring heavily here & there
was a storm last night. I am told one of
the air ships escaped by itself & disappeared
in the clouds & no news of it. I hope that Aunty Cha is better & that you
are all well & working too hard. We have 2 guests here at present so Mim
Roberts is enjoying having them & there is great
chit chat going on. Much love to all the Aunties.
Your affectionate niece Olive Duffin.