18th November 1918 HMB
My dearest Mother
Isn’t it absolutely ripping, the news I mean. I have been meaning to write for days but I’ve been jolly busy. I was able to get off yesterday and have a game of hockey which I enjoyed immensely. It was a scratch XI against the ambulance drivers (Red Cross Girls) and they beat us 4:3. It was quite a thrilling game. On Armistice night nine of us went down into the town and had dinner and saw the singing cheering crowds of Tommies and other nationalities of soldiers ragging and waving flags.
Friday was the King’s birthday and so there was a solemn Te Deum at the cathedral, military and civil representatives of various nations attended in full war paint. The cardinal archbishop preached a short sermon and it was all very impressive. I had a very nice letter of congratulations from Mollie B today.
It is bitterly cold here now: freezing hard. We have heaps of new VADs now and some of them are rather jolly. I am sending you home a copy of each of my photos and hope you will like them. I think they are quite decent and most people here like them very much.
If you want some could you order? I would like two sent to John and Elsie. Please tell Father that I am more or less on the rocks.
I went to see a leg amputated today. It was rather interesting, but somewhat messy.
Re memento: I think it would really be best if I chose it myself perhaps.
We have got a lot of Hun prisoners in with Grippe: two of them have died already. It is a terrible thing this, in the way it carries people off in a moment.
I’m sorry to hear about poor old Mrs Warren: one will miss her cheery old mahogany face.
I must dry up now
Best love to you all
Your loving D
About Alford 