1916 Letter 10
[1916]
Dearest Mother,
We are all peevish and cross 1 – because it is hot 2 – because for several nights it has blown like the deuce and rattled the huts disturbing our slumber 3 – because a Zeppelin or something came along last night and we all woke up. There was no alarm given and it was miles away but one feels rotten when one’s sleep is disturbed.
I am quite "bucked" as the English say – to even up for the above. 1. Because I had a letter from you and one from Papa, just now, both April 20. 2. Because one of the girls is going to sell me her riding habit, as she rides side saddle and it doesn’t fit. It is khaki and was made by a good tailor in Cairo and fits me like the paper on the wall. I should have ordered one then myself but our future was so uncertain I didn’t. 3. At least a year’s accumulation of papers came last night and Posts galore and I have fairly wallowed in Globe and Mails. Quite often the former are marked by D.A., with a view, I presume, of using them as "little bits" in Sundays sermon. So I can imagine what you had that Sabbath.
The second lot of Crane’s paper hasn’t arrived but no doubt will shortly. You see letter mail and parcels sent by letter post i.e small ones, come by Marseilles. The French bring it out for us and they regard parcels as a luxury for their own troops and consequently won’t bring them for us. So all parcel mail goes to Alex, and waits for one of our own boats coming up here.
So anything you send put in small lots. Do you know what we’d rather have than anything, almost? Plain soda biscuits. You can’t get any unsweetened biscuits here at all now except Captains, a sort of hard tack, and what we can get we pay for at the rate of 60 cents a lb, stuff they sell at home for 10 and 15, or less. So a small box now and then would be greatly appreciated.
I sent my bank home home to be balanced and find to my joy I have £75. We get £4 a month subsistence out here and that helps. We are all saving for our next leave. If the blooming Greeks ever come in there is a possibility of leave to Athens, which will be heavenly, and if not Myra and I are going to do Wales or Ireland when we get back.
When we meet an Irishman we ask him what to see and how to get there etc., and ditto with the Welshmen, and already we have enough to keep us going for a year at least. Everyone of course has some favourite place one must see.
Have just been making some lemonade, and this is one of the times I always think of David and his wish for water from the well at Bethlehem’s gate, for this water is always lukewarm, and "being neither cold nor hot", I could etc. not that I search the Scriptures daily anymore for sad to relate my bible was mostly burned and soaked in our famous fire in Wimereux and while I keep it as a relic it isn’t much use anymore as a "daily help". No thanks, I don’t want another. As a churchgoer I’m afraid I’ve been rather slack lately as we have had a run of padres who leaned toward the emotional and I can’t stand having my feelings harrowed even in the pursuit of righteousness. Most of the girls feel the same way. It makes one feel so blue and home sick, and the hymns they have are mournful to the last degree. However our reputation as a unit is saved because we have some exceedingly emotional people who love to be worked up and weep easily and come away thrilled. The same sort at home go to a funeral and simply love it.
I’m so glad Toots is going to be with you for a while. It’ll do you both good. I suppose Toots will make wonderful cakes. I wish I were with you. There is a view from our door that I love. The village of [Sembet] from which our camp is named locally. It consists of a dozen or so picturesque pig sties, while with thatched roofs, and at one side are two tall straight trees, most artistic from here, but ye gods what squalor when one reaches it!
I must get into my clothes and go back on duty. Heaps of love to Toots and I’ll write her soon. Also to Papa –
Yours lovingly,
Helen
Salonica
May 19.