TRANSCRIPTION:
Dear mother and father,
I have had crowds of letters from you lately since Harry arrived they should have been here before, several for Reg for his 21st birthday the parcels haven’t [haven’t] turned up yet, but soon will, I always have to pay ¼ an item to send them in France I asked at the post office and they said I must.
Harry & I sent Reg something.
I had a letter from Reg about a week ago, – you wanted to know more about him well he can’t say much, but he is in the firing line & when he comes back for a rest he is near Jim R – it is very {illeg.} that – Reg is in the artillery [added above] [illeg.] & infantry. The artillery do have some sort of cover their gun is covered in as each shot is fired the door is closed to hide the armour from {illeg.}
I had a letter from Jim today, & he said he was expecting to see Reg in a day or so.
Well I must get back to Harry I can tell you I did get a shock. I was going downstairs and I [crossed out] met him. When he arrived in London late at night they were all taken to the Imperial Hotel next morning (which happened to be my 43rd birthday) Harry came along & found out all about your people H [Harry] – thought I hadn’t altered at all says I looked no older which was decent of him. I thought he looked just the same. – you may be sure mother I’ll do all I can for him. He had a fair amount of business to do in only 3 ½ days leave, but we had a good time Harry got £12 his pay during voyage over the rest is to come after they seem to think flying men are rich. H - [Harry] & I went round to several banks looking for £40 which he thought - father had sent, I said look here [?]! Didn’t you send a p.c, [postcard] saying you would have plenty & so father hasn’t sent it. so that solved the mystery – terrible thing this money.
H [Harry] & I were walking past the National Gallery when we met Charlotte Russell who had just arrived from Germany & wasn’t she glad to get away, she looked half starved & so she was says all Germany is starving & has been for a long while snow & frost has spoilt everything - she says we dont [don’t] know war is on here. In the cities of Germany they are far worse off than the villagers, they have a little bread. soups made out of some powder mystery & a tiny bit of meat once a week & macaroni also once a week. The frost spoilt all the potatoes, so it is true enough that they are starving, it looks as if they can’t hold out much longer, Miss R – is coming here one day to give me all the news while we were [illeg] to [illeg.] Ronald Hardy / John both came along he was just off to Egypt again he told us about John being in a hospital for an operation, so Harry & I went along to see John he was up, he is going out to Egypt in August I think, did you know he was engaged to be married a gay young bird isn’t he 2 He looks just the same & asked after you all.
I recovered £50 from father April 5th with divide [?] Reg on it I sent him £13 out of the last lot & am sending him £10 out of this is that right or do you mean give him £25 – I wish I knew, but as he expects me to send him things, he did ask me to send some thing to eat every week but I haven’t been able to lately still he hasn’t done so bad, I didn’t get the money father sent for parcels for Reg how was it sent by letter or do you mean this cabled money with divide [?] Reg on it, I wish I knew, anyhow I send £10 & some food along. If you send food, cigarettes & sweets from N.Z , it must be air tight or it goes bad, cigarettes only keep if they are in tins, chocolate always goes mouldy & cake. So sweets [?] & things like that are best from N.Z.
Hal got a parcel from Dally of shortbread [illeg.] & most of it was mouldy
I thought I might as well tell you which was best to send. Reg is very fond of knitted socks. Cakes & [illeg.] meat are the favourites, of course it is so no use you sending meat well I hope it was right sending the £10 & thanks very much for the money. I’ll give Aunt Marianne the £6 right away.
Well back to Harry, he is now at Reading & working very hard, it is terriffic [terrific] the amount of work he has to do, they have [illeg.]know every thing, he came up for the day last Sunday & brought his looks & put in the day they don’t seem to have a chore for a o. He gave me the look & I asked him questions & he seemed to have got hold of it alright he got through one exam, very well & I do hope he gets through these I saw him off at 10 to 10 from Padding I’m quite close here for you, so I am it on to you. Harry has to travel first class. The N.Z Government gave them some passes so that is good. H [Harry] – had a nice letter from Uncle Fred.
Well I could go on for a long time but I must stop, it is late & jolly cold.
While Harry was up I did a hurried sketch of him on wood if it works out right you will [get] it, just now, it is very like him.
Tell mother I’ll do everything I possibly [damage/missing words] for your [illeg.] with love in all [damage missing words] from your loving daughter Edith
Give my [damage/missing word] [love] to Grandma you might give her this to read & please tell Mrs [illeg.], Russell I will be very pleased to send the cables to Allan I am waiting for Jack to send Allans latest address.