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1 November 1916

Perham Downs
Nov 1st 1916

Dear Homefolks
Well it is getting on towards xmas, & by the time this reaches you I expect that it will be over. At present I cannot see much chance of sending nice cards as the money element is represented by the minus sign _ _ _. I’m sending one for you all cos it reminded me (as if I needed reminding) of "Home sweet Home" I hope you like it.

I received about a fortnight ago a lovely little handkerchief from little Sunshine. She’s a dear little kid isn’t she?

I’m thoroughly fed up with the way in which our mails arrive or rather – don’t arrive. Haven’t had any Australian letters for ages. I’m hanged if I know what the Dickens is the matter with them. My mail ought to be arriving quite regular. You are addressing c/o Mrs Morgan aren’t you? Cos then, whether I’m in France or here, they will come with hardly any delay, but if you address them here, I may be anywhere & they’ll be delayed & if you send them to the Bn & I’m not there, well they may find me in the dim distant future. The bulk of the letters that arrived on Gallipoli for me between April & August are still poking around somewhere _ _ _.

Well now that the winter is settling, I’m beginning to appreciate the fact that I’m in England & not in France. It’s been raining cats & dogs here lately & everything is in a rotten condition so what must it be like in France. Awful I should think. And the tales of the front by a chap who has only just left are not conductive to rushing to the orderley room to get put on draft.

There are rumors of big changes in the staff here so it’s quite pos that things will happen. The GOC[?] had all the staff instructors up before him the other day & we’ve had to furnish as many particulars as a man who is getting on the rolls, being married, being christened, & buried at one & the same time. What it means is only surmise[?] but all we “neutrals” are shivering in our shoes. We can all see France with a big ‘F’ dancing & wallowing in mud in front of your eyes.

Haven’t heard from Vivie, Percy or Vernie lately but as their mail is often held back a fortnight or so, there is nothing in that to be alarmed.

4th Nov. Just received 3 letters from France – two from Percy & one from Vivie dated end of October. They were both O.K. then & Vernie was the same, tho I haven’t heard from him for ages. I expect that he has had his leave & gone back to France.

Three of the Sigs – myself included had their dials immortalized by a photographer last Saty & we get the results tomorrow. If they are any good I’ll send you one.

It’s deadly not getting any letters it makes one wonder what use it is writing at all. My roommate received about 30 last night most of them where over 12 months old. When I came in & saw him in the umpteenth heaven of delight surrounded & nearly buried in letters, I could have enjoyed kicking him out throu the window – but instead of that I merely banged my hat & bag on the floor went into the centre of the room & tore up paper, knocked the form over & kicked my unoffending hat into the corner. Perhaps my luck will turn soon & I’ll get a fine fat mail.

I’m putting in for a few days leave soon to try & cheer Mrs Morgan up a bit. She is getting very despondent. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to get it. I should have been given 4 days after finishing at Weymouth. I had intended getting off with my mate McLintock & having the time of my life with an Aeroplane Major friend of his, but that, I’m afraid, is off. This said Major had a bit something or other in the recent Zepp raid. He disappeared with his plane, & when he returned next morning his machine had been badly knocked about, & he suffered with it. He refused to say a word of what happened. He merely swore that he’d get one of the __ one of these times. They all think that he’d had a scrap, or run foul of the shells from our Anti-Aircraft guns.

Well news is scarce so I’ll ring off hoping you all have a very Merry Xmas & a happy & prosperous New Year & may we all be home for the 1917 xmas. Your loving son & brother Bert.

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