France

Monday July 15th 1918

Dear Kate,

Your nice long letter of 16th May arrived a few days ago. I wrote to you not long ago, but I will answer this one now, while I am in the humour. Dough of course is still in Blighty and I hope he manages to stay there. Youngan is sitting beside me now, in his shirtsleeves. It is very very warm just now. We have had a few showers lately. We both received the parcels you sent and enjoyed them muchly. What did you think of Uncle Will? By all accounts he is a funny old stick. We may meet him on our next leave which is due at the end of August, but we have Buckleys chance of getting it then. I had letters from Annie with last mail from Invercargill and she said that “our boy and Jean could not agree”. Annie and all at home were quite well. Gordon and Lizzie seem to have had a good shoot. They got 84 ducks. Annie said you seem to have had quite a good day with your Paddys market, and it is good of you people to do so much for the Red Cross and other Funds. Dough would be wondering what had gone wrong when father was so long in sending him the money he cabled for. Dough had a long leave to Scotland lately and by all accounts had a great time. I would like to get over there in the summer time. It was midwinter when we were there last, but we had a glorious time even then. Corfe has volunteered again. He is keen. If they were all like him there would be no need