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October 1915

A1 Ward
No 3 London General Hospital
London

Dear Homefolks.

Will you please excuse a short note this time as I don’t feel up to much writing. I’ll try & write you a decent letter next week.

As you see from the above I’m once again in Eng. What can you think of me. 4 days scrap & a long spell in idleness & comfort, & then a mere month in the trenches during which time we neither attacked or were attacked & again in idleness, while some of them including Vernie have been right throu from the start. The worst of it is, this being away has 3 times lost me promotion. But I shouldn’t grumble should I. Everything is for the best.

I’m still confined to my bed, but am allowed up 2 hrs in the afternoon. I’ve completely lost all the influenza & the tendency to dysentry, - got rid of both after first week in Hospital at Lemnos & now I’m suffering from what the Dr calls “Debility post Dysentry & influenza” I got pretty thin but am piling on flesh now tho still wobbly at the neezs.

The nurses & sisters here are a very jovial lot – full of fun & plenty of “smiles” & they treat us all OK.

There are 9 wild Arstrailyens in this ward – quite a minority in numbers but not in anything else _ _ _. One of our lads left yesterday for his furlough before going back to Aust. He was hit on the 2nd day by shrapnel in the knees & he has been in hospital all this time. He will be a cripple all his life. He can walk without crutches but his walk is painful to look at. And in spite of it he was the livliest chap in the ward.

These last two days we’ve had a good sample of London fogs. They are not exaggerated & last till after dinner. They’ve been quite mild so far too. I don’t want to see a bad one.

Well I’ll ring off now & try to let you have a decent letter next week.

Your loving son & brother Bert.

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