Folkestone
15/3/17
Dear Uncle Julius
I wrote a hurried letter to Juliet last night before leaving Sling and while we are waiting here for an hour or two before continuing our journey I am writing a few letters. Just now this is a gloriously sunny spot. The sun is streaming through the windows on to my back and it is the first sensation of warmth that old [?] has given me since I landed in England. If you are getting weather like this at Badsey you will be up to your eyes with work in the garden. I was glad to hear that you have had satisfactory news from Cyril and you will be looking forward more anxiously than ever now for future news. What a magnificent success General Maude has made of his operations in Mesopotamia. After all the disappointments we have had it seemed almost too much to expect that Baghdad could be actually occupied by our troops and now the whole thing has been accomplished almost at one blow. It must have meant a great deal of preparation though and subsequent hard work and ceaseless effort on the part of those who were engaged there.
On the Western front, too, the news continues good which is all very heartening to new men like ourselves who have yet to know what it is to face the music in the trenches.
If our stop here had been a little longer I could probably have managed to find Aunt Lottie's place, but we cannot go past certain points without a pass and no passes are issued, and in any case we have to fall in again very soon. The place seems to be entirely occupied by soldiers.
Well I must bring this to a close and take up a stand close to my equipment ready for the whistle when it goes. I think we shall have a smooth run across.
Good wishes to all.
Au Revoir
B Sladden
