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Francis Edward Story - Letters 1921
January 1921
16 CavalryD.J. RhanIndia13/1/21My dear Daddy,Your Fasana Ryad has come & a pretty big book it is too. I sent for all the volumes of it & two small & one big one has come, I expect the big one is a double one. I will get a parcel of these books made up for you & enclose a guidebook to Kashmiri which came from Calcutta the other day. It is not the book I know but will tell you a lot of what you want to know.
I shall also include the papers of my Retention Exam which I passed the other day. As you may know you are allowed three shots at passing & if you fail they hoof you out of the army. It was an all day show, the first two papers being oral, squadron drill & vetinary etc. A Col. took that part & passed everybody as it was not too hard. The musketry I thought was the hardest part of the lot but I managed to pass it all right. I had been working a bit during the Xmas week & the following days & was thankful I did as the written papers were none too easy. Two failed, our senior sub & an infantry lad!I enclose a postcard from the Rasuri press saying that the second volume of the other book is not ready. At least I think that is what it says as that shikasta 'gets me'! Barath Singh read it to out to me & as far as I remember they said that the book was not yet ready. Anyhow you can see for yourself.
I have been very busy lately - OC Rest Camp, OC House Tramways & my own regimental work as well. However I have now given up these outside jobs & am merely doing my usual work in the regiment. There is a lot of work at the Rest Camp & all office work; I never had time to go round the camp to see that all was as it should be. The pukka CO took a nasty toss while steeple chasing in the Races. He had a long cut under his chin about an inch deep. The horse never rose at the jump but went slap into it & of course came down.
Have been playing a lot of football lately but without much success I'm afraid. The late G. O. C. Force presented a cup to be played for by any teams in the force. We entered a team but our men cannot cope with the British Tommy. It's not surprising as the Tommy plays from his "bachpan" & our lads had probably never seen or heard of a football until they came to the regiment. I don't approve of soccer much especially when one has to give up an afternoon's polo for it.
No news of your deciding on Kashmir or NZ. I honestly think that NZ would be better although it would be ripping to have you all out here. I have heard several senior men discuss present day India & they all say that it is going rapidly to Bolshevism, anarchism or anything else you like to call it. Their advice to the junior officer is to get out & as soon as possible. I'm not sure that I wouldn't take the advice if I could. I must say that it's a jolly good life out here. I am lucky to be drawing the screw I am. If I was at home I suppose I would be a pale faced pen pusher in some dingy office, drawing barely enough to make two ends meet. I couldn't have stood it & certainly couldn't after living out here. But if I'm going to find every hot weather as trying as I did the last, I'm afraid it won't do - I suppose the rest of India cannot be as bad as this place certainly, Quetta & Viemuch were not!
Had a good dance last night - borrowed Luston's car & to put on a General's daughter to dinner with a Major on the staff. Rather spoilt their table by knocking over a glass of port with my sleeve! Supper after the dance & bed about 2.00 AM. Today, being Thursday, is a holiday.
Love to all - have several letters of Mummy's to answer.
Your Fasana Ryad has come & a pretty big book it is too. I sent for all the volumes of it & two small & one big one has come, I expect the big one is a double one. I will get a parcel of these books made up for you & enclose a guidebook to Kashmiri which came from Calcutta the other day. It is not the book I know but will tell you a lot of what you want to know.
I shall also include the papers of my Retention Exam which I passed the other day. As you may know you are allowed three shots at passing & if you fail they hoof you out of the army. It was an all day show, the first two papers being oral, squadron drill & vetinary etc. A Col. took that part & passed everybody as it was not too hard. The musketry I thought was the hardest part of the lot but I managed to pass it all right. I had been working a bit during the Xmas week & the following days & was thankful I did as the written papers were none too easy. Two failed, our senior sub & an infantry lad!
I enclose a postcard from the Rasuri press saying that the second volume of the other book is not ready. At least I think that is what it says as that shikasta 'gets me'! Barath Singh read it to out to me & as far as I remember they said that the book was not yet ready. Anyhow you can see for yourself.
I have been very busy lately - OC Rest Camp, OC House Tramways & my own regimental work as well. However I have now given up these outside jobs & am merely doing my usual work in the regiment. There is a lot of work at the Rest Camp & all office work; I never had time to go round the camp to see that all was as it should be. The pukka CO took a nasty toss while steeple chasing in the Races. He had a long cut under his chin about an inch deep. The horse never rose at the jump but went slap into it & of course came down.
Have been playing a lot of football lately but without much success I'm afraid. The late G. O. C. Force presented a cup to be played for by any teams in the force. We entered a team but our men cannot cope with the British Tommy. It's not surprising as the Tommy plays from his "bachpan" & our lads had probably never seen or heard of a football until they came to the regiment. I don't approve of soccer much especially when one has to give up an afternoon's polo for it.
No news of your deciding on Kashmir or NZ. I honestly think that NZ would be better although it would be ripping to have you all out here. I have heard several senior men discuss present day India & they all say that it is going rapidly to Bolshevism, anarchism or anything else you like to call it. Their advice to the junior officer is to get out & as soon as possible. I'm not sure that I wouldn't take the advice if I could. I must say that it's a jolly good life out here. I am lucky to be drawing the screw I am. If I was at home I suppose I would be a pale faced pen pusher in some dingy office, drawing barely enough to make two ends meet. I couldn't have stood it & certainly couldn't after living out here. But if I'm going to find every hot weather as trying as I did the last, I'm afraid it won't do - I suppose the rest of India cannot be as bad as this place certainly, Quetta & Viemuch were not!
Had a good dance last night - borrowed Luston's car & to put on a General's daughter to dinner with a Major on the staff. Rather spoilt their table by knocking over a glass of port with my sleeve! Supper after the dance & bed about 2.00 AM. Today, being Thursday, is a holiday.
Love to all - have several letters of Mummy's to answer.
Your affectionate son
Teddy
16 CavalryD.J. RhanIndia21/1/21My dearest Mummy,Got a big Blighty mail last night - letters from you, Daddy, Vera & Aunt Florie, so must settle down & answer a few of them.
Glad those scarves got home safely. I'm afraid your Xmas present will not reach you. When I was in Cashmere I ordered it & some woodcarving for myself, they said the stuff would be ready in a month's time. It is now four months since I ordered it so I am writing to cancel the whole order - it is the Kashmiri all over!
Yesterday I asked the old Colonel again about my leave. He said that he would have to wait until he saw what other officers want to do, so I can do nothing more as yet. Time is getting short & I would like to know one way or another. It will be a fluke if I do get it as nowadays they will not give you leave until you have passed the HS. I think I shall have to take Daddy's advice & try doing a bit without a munshi. I sent off his Fas??? Ayad by the last mail. You will be sorry to hear that I am for Fank(?) again & start in about an hour's time I go to relieve another lad who has gone on a course. There was another fellow that they might have sent but he is wanted down here to classify signallers or some rubbish like that. I only hope that I won't get ill again as I have had enough fever to last me for some time. I shall miss the polo very much as the ground is rotten up there.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been ill - can't you knock off for a bit & take a complete rest, I'm sure you want it. You ought to be able to find somebody to give Vera a hand with the house work, while you get away to Cheltenham or somewhere. Hope Daddy is still keeping fairly fit.
Went out on a crocodile shoot last Sunday. Brown of the regiment & self got is up & we borrowed a launch from the Military Works. Spent a very pleasant day on the river & wounded three muggers. They are very hard to get as they slip off the mud into the water unless you kill them stone dead.
Old Tuxton has left for Delhi en route for home - wish I was sailing with him.Love to allYour affectionate sonTeddy
Got a big Blighty mail last night - letters from you, Daddy, Vera & Aunt Florie, so must settle down & answer a few of them.
Glad those scarves got home safely. I'm afraid your Xmas present will not reach you. When I was in Cashmere I ordered it & some woodcarving for myself, they said the stuff would be ready in a month's time. It is now four months since I ordered it so I am writing to cancel the whole order - it is the Kashmiri all over!
Yesterday I asked the old Colonel again about my leave. He said that he would have to wait until he saw what other officers want to do, so I can do nothing more as yet. Time is getting short & I would like to know one way or another. It will be a fluke if I do get it as nowadays they will not give you leave until you have passed the HS. I think I shall have to take Daddy's advice & try doing a bit without a munshi. I sent off his Fas??? Ayad by the last mail. You will be sorry to hear that I am for Fank(?) again & start in about an hour's time I go to relieve another lad who has gone on a course. There was another fellow that they might have sent but he is wanted down here to classify signallers or some rubbish like that. I only hope that I won't get ill again as I have had enough fever to last me for some time. I shall miss the polo very much as the ground is rotten up there.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been ill - can't you knock off for a bit & take a complete rest, I'm sure you want it. You ought to be able to find somebody to give Vera a hand with the house work, while you get away to Cheltenham or somewhere. Hope Daddy is still keeping fairly fit.
Went out on a crocodile shoot last Sunday. Brown of the regiment & self got is up & we borrowed a launch from the Military Works. Spent a very pleasant day on the river & wounded three muggers. They are very hard to get as they slip off the mud into the water unless you kill them stone dead.
Old Tuxton has left for Delhi en route for home - wish I was sailing with him.
Love to all
Your affectionate son
Teddy
February 1921
16 CavalryD.J. RhanIndia14/2/21My dearest Mummy,I wrote to Daddy this afternoon, but tonight brought a letter of 26.1.21 from you.
If Ralph will write to Viemuch(?) he cannot expect to get an answer at once! His letter to look exactly a month to reach me having been pretty well all over India after me. We have however, exchanged several letters since then & I am seeing about a house for him. I have also managed to get several introductions for him in Calcutta from the wife & daughter of a local general whom I know here. The people I have put him on to seem to be millionaires so he ought to be all right.
We had a sale of old polo ponies the other day - I bought one for Rs75/- which I consider to be the best bargain I ever made in my life! He is old of course but a fine good pony & quite fast. The Col. was bidding for the polo club & ran some of them up to Rs350/- I had a rather wind up that he would do the same with mine as I wouldn't go further than Rs150/- for him. However I got him cheap alright.
I have told Daddy about this new induction scheme in the Indian army. I believe war captains are the unpopular people & that they won't worry about getting rid of fellows of my service just yet.
I think I'd told you that I had canceled the order for your Christmas present. I had ordered a silver sugar sifter, suitably engraved etc., & the people promised to have it ready in time for Xmas. The parcel arrived yesterday & I sent it back.
The little bit of money I have for you is still at Grindlay's. The exchange is still absurdly low & the though I watch it every day it won't go higher! You will see by my letter to Daddy that I have a good chance of getting my leave after all - so will bring the "pisa"(?) with me unless the exchange suddenly goes up meanwhile. If, you are in real need of cash - send me a cable & I will biff it off straight away. I must ask Grindlays about this insurance scheme of yours.
Hope your cold is better & that you are not getting any more. Do take care of yourself as I want to see you quite fit when I jump off the trap on to the hall door steps! That will be "some" day!
I wrote to Daddy this afternoon, but tonight brought a letter of 26.1.21 from you.
If Ralph will write to Viemuch(?) he cannot expect to get an answer at once! His letter to look exactly a month to reach me having been pretty well all over India after me. We have however, exchanged several letters since then & I am seeing about a house for him. I have also managed to get several introductions for him in Calcutta from the wife & daughter of a local general whom I know here. The people I have put him on to seem to be millionaires so he ought to be all right.
We had a sale of old polo ponies the other day - I bought one for Rs75/- which I consider to be the best bargain I ever made in my life! He is old of course but a fine good pony & quite fast. The Col. was bidding for the polo club & ran some of them up to Rs350/- I had a rather wind up that he would do the same with mine as I wouldn't go further than Rs150/- for him. However I got him cheap alright.
I have told Daddy about this new induction scheme in the Indian army. I believe war captains are the unpopular people & that they won't worry about getting rid of fellows of my service just yet.
I think I'd told you that I had canceled the order for your Christmas present. I had ordered a silver sugar sifter, suitably engraved etc., & the people promised to have it ready in time for Xmas. The parcel arrived yesterday & I sent it back.
The little bit of money I have for you is still at Grindlay's. The exchange is still absurdly low & the though I watch it every day it won't go higher! You will see by my letter to Daddy that I have a good chance of getting my leave after all - so will bring the "pisa"(?) with me unless the exchange suddenly goes up meanwhile. If, you are in real need of cash - send me a cable & I will biff it off straight away. I must ask Grindlays about this insurance scheme of yours.
Hope your cold is better & that you are not getting any more. Do take care of yourself as I want to see you quite fit when I jump off the trap on to the hall door steps! That will be "some" day!
Love to Lailah
Your affectionate son
Teddy
16 CavalryD.J. RhanIndia14/2/21My dear Daddy,I'm afraid I know very little about "Qoti" & that only from hearsay. I believe it is a very nice place to live in but very expensive - the same in every hill station if it comes to that - the hunting is the chief attraction up there. More than that I do not know.
You will be pleased to hear that my leave application goes in tomorrow. The Col. got hold of the old leave roster & revised it, placing fellows according to what language exams they passed. Of those to go mine ??? second on account of my ??? I was told that I could put in an application. It has, however, to be sanctioned by the G.O.C. Wazirforce. I put in a long letter accompanying it pointing out the condition of Ireland & saying I was wanted at home! I may find it difficult to get a passage as I refused the one offered to me on March 19th. For one reason I don't want to go as soon as that & also 2nd class P&O is too expensive. The charge was £120 return to Marseilles only & then I've got to pay my way across France & England. It can't be done so I must see about a cheaper line.
You may have heard rumours of this reduction scheme of the Indian army. Cavalry are being reduced from 39 regiments to 21 by amalgamating certain regiments together. We are amalgamating with the 13th. I hear there will be a surplus of between two and three thousand B.O.s to say nothing of J.O.s & men. To the B.O.s a gratuity & a ticket home will be offered & the latest rumour is that the gratuity will be £2000 & £1 a day for every day's service over the three years. Not so bad is it? If you don't want to take it you can stay on & then they will start getting rid of you by stiff exams!
The question is - what shall I do? India is all right in the cold weather but I don't think the heat suits me much. On the other hand I like the work & play (especially the latter) very much & shouldn't care to give it up. I have been thinking about joining Pat in NZ - I don't think he would object to £2000 invested in his concern even if he couldn't put up with me. I should like to know further details of his work before I decide anything, there is plenty of time however as this is still all rumour.
I'm afraid I know very little about "Qoti" & that only from hearsay. I believe it is a very nice place to live in but very expensive - the same in every hill station if it comes to that - the hunting is the chief attraction up there. More than that I do not know.
You will be pleased to hear that my leave application goes in tomorrow. The Col. got hold of the old leave roster & revised it, placing fellows according to what language exams they passed. Of those to go mine ??? second on account of my ??? I was told that I could put in an application. It has, however, to be sanctioned by the G.O.C. Wazirforce. I put in a long letter accompanying it pointing out the condition of Ireland & saying I was wanted at home! I may find it difficult to get a passage as I refused the one offered to me on March 19th. For one reason I don't want to go as soon as that & also 2nd class P&O is too expensive. The charge was £120 return to Marseilles only & then I've got to pay my way across France & England. It can't be done so I must see about a cheaper line.
You may have heard rumours of this reduction scheme of the Indian army. Cavalry are being reduced from 39 regiments to 21 by amalgamating certain regiments together. We are amalgamating with the 13th. I hear there will be a surplus of between two and three thousand B.O.s to say nothing of J.O.s & men. To the B.O.s a gratuity & a ticket home will be offered & the latest rumour is that the gratuity will be £2000 & £1 a day for every day's service over the three years. Not so bad is it? If you don't want to take it you can stay on & then they will start getting rid of you by stiff exams!
The question is - what shall I do? India is all right in the cold weather but I don't think the heat suits me much. On the other hand I like the work & play (especially the latter) very much & shouldn't care to give it up. I have been thinking about joining Pat in NZ - I don't think he would object to £2000 invested in his concern even if he couldn't put up with me. I should like to know further details of his work before I decide anything, there is plenty of time however as this is still all rumour.
With love to all
Your affectionate son
Teddy
March 1921
16 Cavalry
D.J. Rhan
India
26/3/21
My dear Daddy,
Many thanks for your letter of 20/2 also for the imaginary chit from the J.O. I could read most of it all right.
I'm glad to say it is cooler now. We had a thunderstorm the other day with a little rain & it's cooled the place down immensely. We had another dust storm today! I think I told you that my leave had been sanctioned all right so I can get off any time now. My boat is now sailing on May 5th but I want to push off sooner than that. Brown, one of our lads goes next month & ??? see if I can go with him as ??? greatest pal in the regiment & it ??? rather fun if we could go together.
Col. At tiffin today said I ought to get off as soon as possible as I am not fit enough to be of much use in the regiment just now! I shall write to Grindlays about it & if they cannot give me any help, I shall go down to Bombay & try to wrangle it from there. Lots of people drop out at the last moment.
This new amalgamation scheme is out at last & deuce of a business it is too! By June 1st we will be a non-??? regiment, known as the 13th/16th Cavalry! The 13th are in Kohat & we march there probably about the 15th of next month. Eight days march through Ba??? & I expect our heavy stuff will go round by train. A squad of the 11th Cavalry leaves Pindi on the 1st to relieve ours which is up the line in Khingi. In the new regiment there will be no fats(?), so the whole of my squadron will have to go. Yesterday I ask each man what he wanted to do. All the JQs wanted "naukri"(?) but only about six of the men were willing to transfer to other regiments. They didn't seem to know what they wanted to do but followed each other like sheep. Those that go to other regiments get a bonus of Rs50/- the remainder leave the army under the ordinary mustering out rules. My orderly said he would stay on if he could stay with me. I had to tell him a it was impossible so out he goes back to his ghai! Nothing is out yet about the BOs & they say that the matter is under consideration. I wish they would hurry up & consider.
Our polo team came back the other day bearing with them an enormous cup & four miniatures. They won the tournament, beating the 26th in the final by 4-2. We were all very pleased about it. The 17th won the inter-regimental against the 21st Lancers - bit of a knock for a swagger British cavalry regiment.
Brown just tells me that his boat is the "Uantua" sailing 23rd.
Your affectionate son
Teddy
April 1921
16 Cavalry
D.J. Rhan
India
5/4/21
My dear Daddy,
Many thanks for your two letters of 11.3.21 & 12.3.21 which arrived tonight. The mail goes tomorrow so hope this will catch it.
It's not so much a question of me leaving the army of my own free will - it's what I shall do if I'm fired out! In the new regiment there will be 14 officers which will I believe included doctor. Of the 13th and 16th there are something like 40 officers in the Army list, some of which don't count as they are just retiring or away on various jobs. So you can see that a great many of us must go. What we will be offered nobody knows but I fancy we will be given a choice of some sort of rotten job like R.T.O or a gratuity and out. As I said before I like both the work and play out here what it's useless to me if I cannot keep fit. I haven't been really fit for nearly a year now accept a short time spent in Kashmiri. I only hope this home leave will put me right - I'm a wreck at present, can't play polo or tennis and spend most of my spare time sitting in a chair dozing and dosing myself with quinine to try to keep the fever off. It's not very pleasant I can assure you
Supposing I do get proved out. I can't think P would mind very much if I joined him especially if I could bring a little money into the concern. The hard manual work and good climate would probably put me right in no time. Another small matter is that at present I'm not living on my pay. I cut expenses down all I know, I drink practically nothing and smoke a pipe but yet money runs away. Our guest nights are expensive and we had four last week twice with the band, I shudder to think what my mess bill will be like this month. Last month I was lucky in spending half the time in hospital and with the Bradshaws and I also sold the gramophone which Tuxton and gave me before he left. I sold my best polo pony a short time ago and it cost a lot to part with her as I had trained her myself. In the new army 40% of the B.O.s will be Indians. Thank the Lord I shall be senior to them but it's not good enough expecting Englishmen to serve under natives. They are all rights in their where he but some of them are not too pleasant in the mess - they eat untidily. I have had to touch my hat to Amor (?) Singh on parade and have seen him get down to his hugga(?) In his dhoti on a hot afternoon when I was sharing a room with him. Yet he is certainly the nicest Indian I've ever met. Our old Colonel who retires in a few months says that he has had a very good time out here but it has not quite lasted his time and he is geared to get out of it. He is sorry for any of us who have to stay on - they all say the same, the senior men who had had experience of the country. However I watched chuck it unless I have to and I hope to come back from leave knowing more Hindustani than I do now.
These natives are beyond me. A Colonel had a very nice bay pony which a Amor Singh trained for polo and then bought for Rs1500/-. The Colonel valued it at Rs2500/-but told A.S. That he could make what he could out of it as he has had the trouble of training at. A.S. Is a pal of the Vawal (?) of Fauk (?) who greatly admired the pony. The colonel told A.S. not to let the pony go too cheaply. He ran up the colonel a few days ago and told him that as the Nawab had been so pressing he had let it go at Rs1500/-! The Nawab cent A.S. a carpet as a little present - the Colonel (who knows something of carpets) valued it at Rs80/-. We all agree that A.S. ought to be kicked but it is all that silly custom among well born natives of giving away anything that is greatly admired. I remember A.S. giving Jasjit Singh a very fine Arab pony - shortly afterwards A.S. became the possessor of a Napier of motor car - a little present from Jasjit. Now A.S. hates motors, but can't sell it. The really are wonderful people.
I'm afraid it's too late now to write about that third 'jilo' up the Agad (?) ss I'm off on the 16th. If I stop in Delhi I shall try to see the publishers about it and bring it along with me. I wish I knew Aunt Lou's address in town as I should like to look for up on my way through. I shall be lost in London.
your affectionate son
Teddy
16 Cavalry
D.J. Khan
India
5/4/21
My dearest Mummy,
The timing is growing shorter & shorter. I leave here with Brown in eleven days time for Bombay. I haven't yet heard if I have got a passage on his boat or not I think I shall wire to Grindlays about it.
It's getting hotter and hotter here & I'm glad I'm getting out of it. The latest orders are that we go to Kolat by train but first we have to hand over all our horses except 40 to the 10th at Uultan. That means we can only keep out polo ponies - all the rest must go. One of us will have to take the horses down to Uultan - hope it's not me. We will not leave here before April 22nd. The C. in C. Is coming soon and will inspect us - I hear he's going right up the line to Wana.
I had a little trip in the motor last Saturday. The Field Cashier was supposed to go two Murtaya but couldn't owing to eye trouble, so the regt. was asked to detail someone to go. Another lad & self both offered to go, but we were told that only one could do the job & the other could be the armed escort. I was the armed escort & provided myself with my orderly's rifle, bayonet & bandolier. Murtaya is about 20 miles the other side of Fank at the mouth of the Gremal river down which marauding bands of Wazirs often come. It is 7 miles from Kaur Bridge which was raided soon after I got back from Kashmir. We started at about 7.30 AM in a Ford car but didn't get to Fank until about 10.00 AM owing to continual breakdowns. The driver was an ass. After breakfast with Brown we continued but had two more breakdowns & arrived in K. Bridge on a flat tire! There we managed to borrow two inner tubes & we were given an escort up for a Lewis Gun section in a Ford van. We reached Murtaya which is a small post held by a few militia & did the job. Between K. Bridge & Fank we had two more breakdowns but none between Fank & D.J.K. Got back about 6.30 PM very dusty & thirsty.
Am still taking things very quietly as I don't want to crack up before my leave. The only exercise I take is on horseback & I go out for long hacks by myself while the others are at polo & tennis. I wish it wasn't getting so hot - perhaps we will have some more rain before long. You can tell Vera that I shall be home to play tennis with her but shall be very out of practice.
Still none use of what the surplus B.O's are going to do. I wish they would hurry up about it.
There will be no need to answer this letter as I shall be home before an answer could reach me.
Love to all.
your affectionate son
Teddy
16 Cavalry
D.J. Khan
India
12/4/21
My dearest Mummy,
Your letter of 20/3/21 came yesterday. The really must get out of Ireland & I shall put it pretty strongly to Daddy when I come home. Although you never said a word about it I was pretty sure that things were none too nice at home. However I must see what I can do when I arrive. I'm taking every ??? I can raise with me & and trying to sell another pony. If I was down in India I could get Rs1000/- for him but we have sold a lot of horses here & there is rather a slump in the market. Passages are frightfully expensive & I haven't got one yet on the boat I intend going on. I'm chancing to luck at Bombay.
The 17th cavalry have come to relieve us & their C.O. has kicked me out of my room into my dressing room. Brown has also come down from the Fank & the two of us are crushed in. We have overflowed into the verandah, where he is busy sorting out his kit. He has more clothes than I have! They are just putting in an electric fan now as it is unbearable without it. I am bringing home a map of Diragat to show Daddy - it may interest him & hope the Sinn Feiners don't find it on me!
My passport arrived this morning but my cheque has not yet. I cannot leave here until it does as I have a lot of debts to settle up. I wanted to play polo tomorrow but the C.O. said no - perhaps he is right although I should like one last game before I go.
If I cannot get away by the 23rd I will write again at Bombay - if I do I will cable. I believe we dismount at Plymouth & then I go up to town. I have written to Ralph for Aunt Florrie's address & I shall go & look her up.
Hoping you are all right.
Love to all.
your affectionate son
PS. Please excuse short letter - am busy sorting out clothes etc.Teddy
June 1921
17 Earls Court Square
London S.W.
Saturday 11.6.21
My dear Daddy,
I enclose a letter from the junior sub of the regiment to his cousin, who has sent it on to me. Will you read it and send it back at your leisure hours Brown may want it.
As you see things look pretty blue don't they? Before I left the C.O. told me confidentially that my name had been recommended for the new regiment. That is my one ray of hope for staying on. Unfortunately the C.O. is on his way home now and the new C.O. has never met me at knows nothing about me beyond hearsay. However I should go out again and see what happens.
??? ??? at the best of times is a pretty dud show and to be stuck in a rotten fever stricken post like Mangai or Klingi with theumpty-umpth Punjabies would be ghastly. Probably there wouldn't even be the excitement of our raid or so - only endless picket duty; rotten rations and fever of two sorts malaria and sand fly (I an expert on both!). However I'm looking on the pessimistic side of things. I could save a spot of cash and when I got too fed up I could send the government a registered parcel of my papers and biff out to Pat in NZ (no flowers by request! ). Of course I might have luck in staying on for a time and they would throw me out on some cunning new exam having bought my full dress etc. In that case I have already got my eye on a really good crossing near here which I could sweep! At present all I can do is to wait and see.
I'm very sorry to hear of ??? of Granny's death. She has always been more than kind to me and I'm afraid it will be a great blow to the Aunts. Mummy, Aunt J??? and Uncle Edward went off there yesterday and will probably be back on Wednesday. The Richardsons are in town and want M. & I. To go to them for a week. Am none too keen myself as I want to get home.
London is doing the the power of good and I am feeling much fitter. Vida was very good to me indeed of after planted myself on her without any notice. She got me well, washed by clothes, in fact looked after me like a son.
It would be quite a sound scheme if you'd met us in Dublin - only what would Mrs. Wagg do then, poor thing!
Your affectionate son
Teddy
| Date | 1921 |
| Linked to | Francis Edward Story |
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