11 February 1917

c/o Mrs Morgan
54 Standard Rd
Hounslow M’sex Eng

Durrington
11-2-17

Dear Homefolks
The Austn mail has again failed to turn up, with the exception of a nice little card from Doris MacPhee, but perhaps will get the rest during the week, or again it may have gone down on that boat that was sunk.

Well I’m safe again for another 3 weeks. Was put on the draft last week to go away tomorrow but hadn’t been on it more than two days, when a fresh case of measles broke out in my hut, & we have been again isolated for 3 weeks, & of course taken off the draft. I’m quite convinced now that my guardian Angel must be endeavouring to protect me from some horrible fate. Perhaps if I had gone on either of these last drafts, I might have got tangled up in chains of some alluring fascinating beautiful French or Belgian Damsel. Wouldn’t that be a damsel _ _ _. I’d have to look for a VC. then _ _ _.

Percy has finished his furlough & is now at Perham Downs. Have had a couple of letters from him. I cannot get over to him owing to the isolation, & he cannot get over here unless he can get hold of a bike. He had a pretty enjoyable time on furlough. Mrs Morgan, as I knew she would, thinks the world of him, & cannot say anything too good of him. She’s giving him a wristlet watch like the one she gave me.

The snow that fell last week has just beginning to melt & the ground is getting very slippery & muddy. The weather is decidedly warmer, tho still quite cold.

All leave from France is stopped after the 18th, so I expect there will be another push starting again before long, probably about the end of this month. I hope to goodness we break right through them & force a general retreat back to the rotten place they came from. Wouldn’t it be great. I can almost see our boys swanking it down the Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin. (I believe there’s a street of that name there _ _ _.)

My roommate here has had a nice little windfall. His Pa-in-law to be died & left him £2500. Not too bad is it. He’s likely to be marked Home Service too, owing to his feet so he’s right in the boom.

I do not know if Vernie or Vivie are coming over here or not. The last I heard from Vernie he was trying to get over here from the 9th Feb. Whether he’s got over or not, I don’t know. Vivie was also expecting to get over, but have not heard anything definite.

Well I’ll close now with best love, from your loving son & brer
Bert.

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