12th November 1915

Kingsway

Delhi India

My dear Mum & Dad,

Very many thanks for your letters received on Monday last & also for p.o. enclosed.

We are now settled down alright at Kingsway & it will be a year tomorrow since we arrived here – a year ago today was the second day in the train from Bombay.

A Battalion Order came out yesterday stating that time expired men may now re-engage for “one year” instead of “four years or duration of the War”. I expect that I shall receive your views as to re-engagement next week, don’t quite know what I shall do yet but as India suits me very well and I should much prefer to return with the Battalion I think it is quite likely that I shall take on for one year which would make me time-ex January 1917, & by then I should imagine the War will be coming to an end.

Our Officers seem to reckon on the War ending & us returning home next Spring though myself I fancy it will require several months of Summer weather to complete the job, one thing is that all Battalions in India return home very shortly after Peace is proclaimed.

This writing I know is rotten but it isn’t easy to write well when ones hands are sweaty.

I had a letter from Tommy by the last Mail & am glad to know that she is enjoying good health. I like the pups’ name & when you come to think of it, most young pups somewhat resemble old Mogg.

I went down to Delhi on Sunday had the afternoon at the Fort & a general look round in the evening. I bought a good strong galvanised portmanteau which exactly fits inside my Indian kitbag & is very handy when moving about as you don’t have to turn out 50 other articles which are in the bag to get a bootlace, the cost of it was Re 1 – 8 as (2/-) & a brass padlock 3 as. Most of us now have boxes like that.

Yesterday we were out entrenching &c from 9 until 1 o’clock and it wasn’t half hot when we marched back to Camp, soaked with sweat which came right through boots puttees & everything else, clouds of dust on top of that make a fellow look awfully nice as you may well imagine.

I was much surprised to hear of Johnnie’s engagement & I will write & congratulate him. As Tommy remarked I much hope that he has now got out of the unpleasant habit of piddling the bed, otherwise his wife mightn’t appreciate it.

I hear that Wilf Lush has bought Tiff Holliday’s Royal Enfield motor bike. He evidently knows when he has a softer & more remunerative job that he would have in the Army.

I am now doing a course of Physical Training & learning to instruct in it, turning “A” over head on a mattress & all them sort of darned fool tricks.

Thanks for letter enclosed in yours, Grannie seems much interested in watching the Zeppelins doesn’t she – England is just about behind the times in Aerial Navigation isn’t she to allow so many raids on London.

The Greeks & Roumanians are a “bit off” aren’t they, but perhaps when this War is over it will be our turn to smarten them & the United States up a bit although as regards the latter I don’t think it will be very long before Japan has a turn at them.

I hope you are both in the very best of health, as regards myself I couldn’t be better & the climate except from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. is very decent. There are very few mosquitos here although there are a good many at the Fort.

Love & kisses to you both.

Ever your own

Jack

1. S. I wasn’t surprised to hear of G. Burgess’ trouble at Lavington. He is time-ex in March so returns about end of January or February. Three of our Company went back today including Bill Draper (Littleton) I told him if he sees you to let you know that we are getting on alright – “Bhoto atchas, subchees teek.”