April 26th 1915

Kailana Chakrata
U. P. India
Monday evening

My dear Mum & Dad,
About time I commenced this week’s letters, so here goes.
Thanks very much for yours of last week (written March 25th). In it you said you would be sending P.O.’s fortnightly, but I very much hope that before now you have at least two letters from me asking you not to do so. If I want any cash sent I will be sure to let you know, & as I said before I will allow plenty of time for a reply so please do not send me any more, I’ll be sure to ask you for a bob or two when I get back if I want it, but can manage quite well out here & have a bit to come for being Orderly Room Sergeant for 17 days @ 1s/4d per day.
I am still employed at the Orderly Room & may continue while we are at Kailana, & might possibly work into a job with a few rupees attached to it.
Our ½ Battallion arrived here yesterday & are now settled down alright.
We are expecting the English mail in tomorrow evening, but if yours is a registered letter I shan’t have it until the end of the week (about Friday evening I expect).
I am very glad to hear that your “poor paw” is now alright “Old Cat.”
Four of us had a fine climb last Thursday, right to the top of one of the Mountains S.W. of here. We took rations & water for the day, & Hounsell (“D” Coy) & I got right to the top where (under the shade of the fir trees) there is plenty of snow, about 5 or 6 ft deep. It was a grand sight from the top & well worth the climb & Mt. Everest (nearly 400 miles away is plainly visible.)
I am glad to hear that the cats are both well, please give them my love & a kiss each.
We get a long “Reuter” war news every afternoon from Bombay. It’s rather a job to make top or tail of, but is better than nothing & from today’s it appears that the Canadians have been doing pretty well.
The 14th Hussars, being here a few days before the main Body of our Batt. stepped in for most of the soft Staff jobs, including
Provost Sergt
A.T.A. Secretary
Librarian
Billiard Room caretaker
Padre’s Orderly
Gymnasium Instructor
Pay Sergt. & several other jobs
(with Rupees attached) so our Battallion didn’t have many decent jobs open to them. Even if there is no extra pay I have a good mind to hang on to my job as Assist. O. R. S. for a time at any rate.
We had just about a thunder storm down below you, which looks rather funny.
From the English papers I should think we must have had some awfully heavy losses during March, especially round Neuve Chapelle – it will take many years for every Country to get over this War wont it.
I will continue this tomorrow – “demain” – “Kul” – &c
I don’t much think I shall have time to write to Doff & Charlie this mail, but please give my best love to them.
I wish Dick Drury could come up here for we have nearly all the Lavington Section in this Bungalow, but being Bugler I am afraid his only chance of getting here would be if he goes sick. We haven’t had any fever cases sent up from Delhi yet, but have a good few in Chakrata who were sent on from Dehra Dun, due I should think to having no charpoys there & consequently having to sleep on the ground – I don’t think that any are very serious cases & this air will soon buck them up.
I do not anticipate that men here will ever have to change places with those at Delhi – it would be going from one extreme to another too much. If our Colonel however were foolish enough to try it on I guess I should be enough of an “old soldier” to work myself into a permanent Staff job here, such as I am holding at present.
Today’s telegram was about the “Triumph” getting up through the Dardanelles, & also said there is a good deal of internal trouble in Hungary, in fact it wasn’t at all a bad telegram right through.
Must now wind up with very best love to you both
Ever your loving
Jack
I think until I write to the contrary you might as well address “Kailana” as above. Have written the Aunts, & hope to commence Flossie’s at dinner-time tomorrow.

Tuesday evening
I have been late at the Orderly Room on a/c of the Station Orders being so long coming from the Printers – nigger printers aren’t quite so quick as Woodward.
We have had a terrific storm this afternoon. Of all I have ever seen it was second only to the one we had in the Mediterranean last October, for that was one that none of us will ever forget.
I think the Mail will be in tonight, I much hope it will, but probably the storm has delayed the tongas on the road for a few hours.
What a time it is since we last met isn’t it – missing a week-end used to seem a long time didn’t it.
I heard from Old Fitz last week & can understand that it would be awfully difficult for him to get away to join the Army, he seems very dis-appointed about it though.
What with mouth organs, singing, &c in the Bungalow this will no doubt be a rotten letter but you must please excuse that under the circumstances.