29/7/16
My dear Father
As you will be away from home next week I’ll write in good time. A little change and the sea air of Eastbourne will be a good thing for you. I hope you’ll find Aunt Lizzie well. Please give her my love when you meet.
I think that when leave is again open I may stand a fair chance of getting away, but whether that date will be much sooner than the one when I hope in any event to be eligible for leave I can’t say. We are all in our different spheres very busy as you may imagine. There seems to be satisfaction with the work of the Corps as a whole, I wonder sometimes how they are getting on at home, roughly the policy is to bring out doctors and nurses here, and to send the patients home. But the actual work of dealing with recently injured men, and passing them on involves more work than the care of them in their final hospital destination.
I’m glad to hear good news of Cyril, and hope that in his next campaign he’ll be in a better managed show, although from some points of view there seems little advantage in raking up the mismanagements of last year in the Eastern campaigns, nevertheless I think the appointment of Commissions of Enquiry will have a healthy influence on all concerned with present campaigns.
Please thank Mela for her second letter and say I will write again before long – I’m afraid the chances of her brother being safe are very slight, I don’t think there have been a lot of prisoners taken, unless in large groups.
It has been very hot here the last few days, the first summer weather we’ve had and we are glad to be out of doors as much as possible.
I see the Worcesters have had heavy losses, have many local men fallen in the present fighting?
I’ve not been outside the camp for over a week – it is difficult to get away, and on very hot days there’s not much inducement.
Mary tells me Baby is starting to walk a little – she is well on for her age, but not being specially fat I believe that is common.
With love to all at home.
From your affectionate son
Arthur F Sladden
