Jan 22nd 1916
My dear Mother
Just a line to tell you that after a most comfortable and agreeable little voyage we are calling at a place I knew before proceeding a little further to one I don’t know. It is one of the places that May called at and saw when she travelled out in this direction.
I am taking the chance to dispatch a short note to you, especially as I have lately learnt that mails home have in the past been held up to a great extent, so possibly you may have had even less news of me than I thought.
Papers brought on board contain parts of Sir Ian Hamilton’s dispatch. I look forward to reading it in complete form before long. Of course it is extremely interesting as I know nearly all the places mentioned more or less well. Mind you keep a copy of it, so that I can go through it some day and tell you which parts I was personally concerned in. The Aghyl Dere was the part I was in during the thick of it, the next gully north of Chailah Dere. You will see that we were engaged in a highly important part of the operations, for which up to now we have never so much as been referred to previously even by the number of the diversion.
I will write again at the next opportunity. Love to all.
Your affectionate son
Cyril E Sladden
