The Nurses’ Home
General Hospital
Birmingham
Nov 13th 1914
My darling Cyril
I was very glad to get your letter this morning and very surprised to hear you are on the move again.
The first thought which entered my head when I read you were going to Marlborough was “I wonder if it is any nearer here than Tidworth”; I think this thought shows I am getting out of my naughty mood and beginning to return to my old self again. You must let me know all details as to distance etc.
Today is my half day off duty from 2 until 10. Why on earth could’nt Kitchener billet you in Birmingham?!
In the doctor’s quarters here for preference! I’m sure Birmingham is a better place for soldiers than Marlborough!
The other day I saw some companies of new recruits being drilled by weary looking, patient young subalterns who repeated monotonously “Form fours,” “Form threes”. I can see it is no easy job to train the new recruit. You must get very tired of it but at any rate now that war is on you have a goal in view, but in times of peace it must all seem very tame.
I got ready to go out and then down came the rain in torrents so instead of writing letters later in the evening I am writing now in the hope that the rain will pass off and allow me to get some fresh air later.
I have pretty well settled down here now and feel as though all my life before this was a dream – it all seems such ages ago. We can hardly realise the terrible tragedies that war brings, I don’t mean wounded men or that part of it, I mean the partings and the houses which are broken up. We do not really digest the war news but only read scraps. When I go out this evening I must try and buy a “Times” just to see some really definite well written accounts.
I am reading a book called “The Secrets of the German War Office” by Karl Graves, a German spy who was imprisoned in England. It is supposed to be true but I hardly think a man would betray the Spy System of which he is an agent. But still these Germans would sell their souls so perhaps the book may be founded on fact after all. In it the writer refers to the Japanese Spy System being so wonderful and that when the fortifications of Port Arthur were being built, the Japanese built a good deal of it by hiring themselves out as coolies and thus when war came they knew every nook and cranny and so knew exactly the weak points to assail. There is also a very interesting account of H.M.S Panther and the Moroccan business. I bought the book to read in the train on the journey to Badsey. Your Father found it so interesting that he finished it on Sunday afternoon.
Have you had any news of George lately? Is he still at St Albans.
I am glad you have not forgotten about having your photo taken, I expect there will be a photographer at Marlborough. The one you gave me is really no longer like you, you having changed a good bit during the last 18 months.
Yesterday my patient seemed as though he was after all going to get well enough to live a few months longer but today he is worse again with a very intermittent pulse and he is very restless, always a bad sign.
I hope you will get billeted with nice people at Marlborough, if you do I should think it will be preferable to sharing a room with Bourne.
I still get most frightfully hungry here but all the same keep well and fit. Your Mother gave me a hamper of good things to bring back with me.
Let me know your change of address as soon as you can.
God bless you and keep you in every way.
Ever your affectionate
Mela
