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Letter No 29 Saturday Capt J.H.Massey 29 Mar 41 6th Palestinian Coy The Bluffs Middle East Forces
My darling Barbara These cards have their uses after all. I started a letter to you last night, but felt so tired and dull that I had to stop - and did a little reading and went to bed. And I am going off this weekend, and so will not be able to finish the letter until Monday. I am looking forward to getting away today - I have been hard at it, slogging away, since Jan 10th - and do not seem to have relaxed once in all that time. I am going to visit some of the Jewish colonies, with Ben [Arji], which will be very interesting. It is an experiment which is apparently succeeding, and each colony is an almost self contained community. Anyway, I shall be seeing for myself and will be writing you and telling you all about it. Also I think, we shall be going through some fine country and scenery. Tiberiaus, the Sea of Gallilee, the Jordan Valley - and perhaps Nazareth. Your 15th letter arrived on Thursday, the one you wrote to me from Cambridge and when you were staying with Juliette. A lovely letter, thankyou, darling. It all reminded me very much of that day when we drove down there in the car, with the awful Gilbert - and I went on to Bocking and Lisa being so upset when you had to catch the train in such a hurry on Cambridge station. I expect you thought of it too. I have just got myself a dog, darling. I have been thinking about it for some time and of all the possible and probable disadvantages - and then your recent letter saying what a pity it was I had nothing to be fond of, this made up my mind. I tried to find one for nothing or else a 5/-, but they were all so dirty and scruffy. And so I went to a kennels on Thursday and bought a little thing of 5 weeks old - for £2-10-0. About it's breed, this is a bit difficult as it is Austrian, and I have gone and forgotten it, but I think, in English, it is a Pincher Terrier. Anyway, at this moment, it is tiny, and a browny grey colour, and has a short tail, and a big head, and big feet, and is very sweet. I think it looks rather like a Dandy puppy - but it will grow to be rather bigger than a Kerry Blue, and I think, not unlike one. They are said to be very intelligent and clever, faithful, and very strong and healthy.
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It is good company, already, and gives me somebody to talk to in my room, where I spend so much time alone. I have called him Peter - it is quite a pleasant name, and occured to me because on the same day King Peter of Jugo-Slavia took control of his country , against Hitler and so, I hope, shortened the war, and so brought you and I nearer to each other.
We now we have the Turks, Yugo-Slavs, and the Greeks on our side - the pick of the Balkan countries - so things are looking up. The summer here is just beginning, and the days are becoming warmer, the flies and mosquitos are coming out, and winter clothing is going away. In 2-3 weeks now it will be really hot. If only you were here to enjoy this peace and sunny weather. It does seem so wrong, that you should be in [bombed?] England and I am safe and sound in the Holy Land. All my love and kisses, darling heart, to you, and the baby if it is arrived. And if not, you know I am always thinking about you. Forever - Harry
