ENPages
p.
6. £90 in 15 weks - which is £6 pm. But the leave in Cairo was expensive - & I bought you some nice presents, which I loved doing, and I hope they have or will arrive - & I had to buy quite a number of clothes & bits of things, which added up. But I seem now, to have settled down into a steady £3 to £3-10-0 p.w - which is not so bad. And of course, that includes mailing & everything - except cables! And I dont want to spend any more, if I can help it. If I have to be away from you - I just want to work, & write to you, & read as much as I can, & have a few drinks - preferably by myself, unless I meet someone I really like - & I hope, see something of the country. There is a billiard table in the Mess, which I have not played on yet. ther is a fine cinema, but I have only been once - they have such tripy films. and the Mess itself browns me off. So here I am. I have been to Jerusalem twice - but had no chance to see anything much, as I was on business, to see Area A.C And I have been down to Jericho twice - we may be spending a few weeks there shortly. It is a hell hole. The lowest place on earth, bar name - 1400 feet below sea level. Almost entirely barren, & near the Dead Sea, of course. I expect I shall be telling you more about this place. Though there did not seem to be a big lot to tell you - it is so very barren. Even in winter excessively hot during the day - & they tell me, bitterly cold
p.
7. at night. I was in Jerusalem on Monday - yesterday - & when I was in H.Q - who should walk in but Charles Kidwell. You remember him - Adjutant of the 7th. He, poor man, has had a most unromantic war. 10 months in the Western Desert, & then just as things were hotting up, he hotted up too, & had an attack of boils all over himself. He was just getting better, whenhe slipped getting into a bath, & broke his wrist. It seems they set it very badly, & he was up in Jerusalem to have it broken & set again. It was pleasant to see him again. He told me that as Adjutant of the 7th, he reported that Capt W. Bronley Davenport was not fit to command. Fat lot of notice they took. I must begin to stop this. My last letter was posted on the 19th. I was going to write on Sunday - & then went to Tel Aviv with Ben Ami. Tonight I have come down to the Company Office, after dinner. That Mess does brown me off - people yap & chatter too much - & I cannot concentrate at all. And now it is nearly 12 - & I must be off to bed. Darling it was lovely to have a letter from you. And I am thrilled that you miss me. I miss you so very much. I will write again in a day or two. I willhave less news then - & will just tell you how much I love you. I think I will send this by sea mail - & I hope it will arrive in decent time. I love & adore you my darling Barbara-
Always, your Harry
