27/12/1916 HMB
My dearest Mother
I have already written to thank you for your Christmas present but this is a kind of general letter to wish you both a happier New Year.
I had a card from Ford Sandall at Sutton-on-Sea so I expect he is going on all right.
There seem to have been many deaths at Alford for which our brilliant medico seems to be much responsible. I wonder he has not been ruled out of the profession or “called up”!!
Did you have your day with M? Father tells me she is to move to Seaforth. Thank you very much for the Psalm It was quite witty. I have been so busy and I haven’t known where to look. Tim was quite ill with flu till 2 days before Christmas. It took the form of a chill on the liver and for five days she had practically nothing but hot barley water.When she got over the sickness she had to be dieted very carefully for a day or two.
I was preparing the men’s Christmas party and our own party on Boxing night and doing Tim’s work and my own work and I was nearly dead. However she made a rapid recovery and was able to make a lot of our scenery.
Granny seems to have had a nasty cold poor old thing. Is she all right now? Your Christmas letter arrived duly on Christmas morning. I longed to be with you, Christmas seems so strange out here always. Of course Granny is not to give me a present I quite understand.
This will have to be finished now it is post time. I will write again soon and tell you about our Boxing night plays.
Best love and the best of luck for 1917 to you both.
Your very loving Dorothy.
I haven’t forgotten or lost the warrant: I’ll try and get it off this afternoon.
About Alford 