Kailana Camp
Chakrata
United Provinces
India
My dear Mum & Dad
We had the Mail last night, but your letter didn’t arrive, so I take it it is a registered one. If ever you enclose an order again (which as I said is not necessary) I hope wont register it, for all letters reach me quite safely & I so much like to have yours as soon as the others. I had letters from the Aunts, staying at Spring Villa that week, they both seem to admire Herbert very much, but no one seems to be enthusiastic over Rajah, though I think he must by now be a nice cat, he had such a lovely coat when a kitten.
What do you think of Italy coming into the mess. I hope they wont be long in putting 1,000,000 or so men in the Field.
I rather expected to here ere this that the 5th 6th or 7th Wilts had gone to France. Of course we have sent enormous numbers in drafts via the 3rd Wilts (Weymouth) but I should have thought that K’s Army would have made a move.
I am not a bit surprised at your hearing awful yarns as to poor old Major Randell’s health, there are so many liars about, but ever since he got over his illness in the Winter he has looked & is, wonderfully fit.
Everyone up here now is very well except those suffering with bad throats, there were no less than 45 attending Hospital of one day this last week, all with enlarged tonsils, caused I daresay from coming up to this height where of necessity the atmosphere is much more rarified than down on the Plains. I may say that I have cured the stomach troubles of a good many fellows by advising an evening pint of beer, my idea being that in a Country where the night is so much colder than the day something is required to warm the guts. There hasn’t been any cheese at the Coffee Shop for two or three days but I saw some Coolie’s hauling stores up the Hill today so no doubt there will be some tonight. Herbert Mead & I have ½d worth of Onions between us every night, they are excellent.
This Mail was a large one for me, being letters from Doff, The Aunts, Mrs Stone, Miss Parsons (Calne) & Margaret Puckridge.
Is old Fitz going to be one of the 300000 that Kitchener is now asking for? I don’t know if I told you that I woke old Wilf Lush up a bit a few weeks ago. Kelloway wrote him an ordinary letter, I enclosed one saying that “I hoped he had obtained his transfer papers from the Royal Standbacks to the Salvation Army or some other respectable Corps” & Herbert enclosed one saying that Government had appointed him on some job or other for breeding purposes to help raise future Armies”. When he reads that lot I guess that it will make him think a bit, I also added that I was afraid there were yet many able-bodied men in England who had cooshey jobs & didn’t care to risk an Indian Sun or a German bullet.
I very much hope that you are now having a bit of real decent weather to make up for the awful Winter. I guess we were in the right place as far as December & January were concerned don’t you, but of course after the middle of February Delhi was rotten. The fellows there now are having it pretty comfortable considering the heat, with electric fans day & night, & water splashed over rush mats which hang in the doorways.
I don’t at present think of returning to Battallion Duty whilst up here, for the Orderly Room isn’t bad, an occasional Rupee once a week when there is not much on in the O. R., generally on a Friday or Monday, & if work is slack, on both. The two of us on O. R. work are Sergt Webb (14th Hussars) & myself, & Sergt Collins & Hounsell do the Pay Office work, & each one is always ready to do a job for the other in order that we can all finish up as early as possible.
A good few of our chaps are collecting butterflies, there are some lovely specimens round here, many being 6” & 7” from wing to wing. Of course there is the great risk of getting them smashed to pieces in moving, though I think Lt. Moulton will make some facilities for packing them.
In last week’s Gazette the Wilts Regimental news was published as follows:-
News of the 1st & 2nd from the Front, News of the new camp of the 3rd at Broadway, Weymouth, News of the 7th at Devizes, then the 2nd/4th at Poona, & lastly the 1st 4th, nothing being mentioned of the 5th or 6th.
It this continues I shouldn’t think it will add to the popularity of the paper.
I hear (not officially) that Mjr Armstrong is going from Delhi to Poona for a time, Major Willis going from here to Delhi & then Major Randell would become Commandant of this Station.
I don’t suppose you now have any silly yarns as to our moving. I guess the biggest fools & liars know that moving troops through the Red Sea during the Summer months is a tale that won’t go down very well. I do know now that the Colonel had good hopes of getting to the Dardanelles last March & that is evidently what made him such a rotter at Tuglakabad, but the old chap is said to be in an excellent humour at present.
Best love & kisses to you both & to Herbert & Rajah
Ever your loving
Jack
xxx
xxx
The Jack Welch Diaries 