Hospital
Sunday 24th June 17
Dear Uncle Julius
I did not expect to get a reply to my letter in so short a time and I was pleased to get yours, and relieved to hear that you had been able to send a cable home. Mother would worry a great deal and probably make herself ill if she thought that everything were not going right with me. I am getting on splendidly but it will take a little while yet before I am quite recovered.
I have a good appetite and I am fast making up for lost ground. During the last few days I have been outside and walking about. This hospital is quite a small town. It is really two hospitals: No 1 South African General and No 2 Stationary, the latter an English hospital. The wards are all marquees and the administration part of it is housed in wooden structures. The wards are pleasantly cool and airy but I should imagine that it would be difficult to keep them warm in winter. I have had letters from my mates up at the lines since I came down here and they all came through the recent encounter without mishap. Frank Dorpen, one of my particular friends who was wounded before the 7th, is at Brockenhurst where he is making a good recovery.
There is not much chance of my being sent to Blighty now but it is just a chance that I was not sent over in the first place, in fact they told me at the CC Station that I was "for Blighty". It would have been pleasant to have been able to spend the convalescent period with you at Badsey. I should like to see the place in its summer garb. The wild flowers are in great profusion in the grass round our wards here. Poppies and blue cornflowers predominate and the sisters keep the inside of the wards gay with them. I imagine that the cost of the last cable must have absorbed what remained of the money I sent Juliet. I shall have to get another remittance from the bank and I will then send over another amount in case I have to ask you to make other disbursements on my account. I would like to have the packet of letters that was posted to me but I suppose I shall have to just wait until they follow me up and eventually find me.
We have not heard very much lately of General Maude's doings in Mesopotamia. Probably the troops are enjoying a rest after their strenuous time in the last advance.
I forget what I told you of our recent advance. Although I was not actually one of the attacking party I had a good opportunity to see all that was going on as I was carrying supplies up for the forward lines. There is no doubt that in the matter of artillery and in air service we have an overwhelming superiority over the Germans. Given time and a continuance of the supply of guns and ammunition it looks as if there would be nothing to prevent us from battering our way to Berlin if we wanted to. It looks as if this summer will not now see the final discomfiture of the Hun but it is getting nearer all the time.
Thank you for writing to Aunt Lottie. I have since written to her myself to acquaint her of the progress I have made since I came here.
I am
Your affectionate nephew
Bernard Sladden
