2/11/17
My dearest Mother
Got a letter from you to-day, I thought you were never going to write.
Tim went off on Tuesday, had to spend the night at Havre and crossed on Weds night. I had a wire from her to say that she had arrived in England all right. I am missing her horribly both in work and play and feel very lost. How about my watch from L Hall ? Is it never coming ? I sent Granny’s case back by Tim and posted the key in a registered envelope as Tim has a genius for losing such things.
I should dearly love you to send me those two Schumann albums that Molly had (edition Peters) and “songs” of the North; I think it is 12/6 or something like that. If I might have it for the rest of my Christmas I should be very pleased.
By the by if you put APO2BEF it is quite unnecessary to put Rouen.
The weather here is too vile for words: constant rain and fogs with alternately cold and muggy temperatures.
I enjoyed my leave so tremendously this time and didn’t want to come back in some ways: I mean that I longed for it to be over and it not be necessary for me to return.
The inspector General Melis (Director of Medical Services in the Belgian Army) came on Wednesday: a surprise visit. No-one knew he was coming and he just popped in at 8:30. He fairly bitched into the heads for the way the hospital has been allowed to slide since the change and was furious all round.
I should have loved to have been a fly on the wall!
5/11/1917
Dearest Father
I suppose Molly is shortly returning to the fold after having been out to grass!
I am sorry to hear that Mother has been hurting her arm. I hope it is all right now.
This is rather a messy letter but one of the girls has got a trench gramophone and I am trying to write to the strains of “Take me back to dear old Blighty”
This is for Mother
Would you send that box full of old numerals and buttons that I left on the nursery table back to Hobsons and claim for a new set of 34 Lincoln numerals which they sent by mistake and which are in the said box. They said they’d take back the old buttons and numerals which are in it too and probably show a rebate on them.
Muir’s watch is arranged some-one else is bringing it. I wish mine would come, I am horribly handicapped without it.
I have been trying to garden but it is fearfully wet: however we have had three days now without rain: a great event here, so I may be able to get something done tomorrow.
I am still pegging away at the Flemish: it makes steady if slow progress. The Italian business is depressing but one must keep on hoping.
We are starting to organise our Christmas festivities: I am afraid we shan’t be able to have such a bust as we did last year for the men.
I must stop now
Best love to you all
Your loving Dorothy
About Alford 