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Letter No. 41/ Monday 12 May 41/ Major J.H.Massey 6th Palestinian Com. The Buffs Middle East Forces. My sweet darling - Duce again the heavens have opened & I am snowed under with [?] work than I can possibly do. It is [infuriating?]. I at last, obtained a second in command last week - Tony Burnett, of which I will tell you more in another letter - & really thought that at last I was going to have an easier time, & more time. But it is not to be apparently, & here I am again, writing one of these poor things at 10-30 in the night, & so blasted weary I can hardly keep my eyes open. It is a shame really - & 112° in the shade again today. One of the annoying and disappointing parts of it all is that from day to day, I have lots of small things to write about - things I saw, heard, thought & hoped - but after a few days I either forget about them or else they do not seem important enough to put in a letter.
The cause of all the trouble now is that we have had to leave those very pleasant billets we were in, & return to the horrible barracks: & after I had my own little self contained life so nicely organised too. The barracks are enormous, just about as big as Owestry - [page break] & quite enough to hold 1000 men & here I am with my Company. in sole charge. The responsibility is a bit much - but I have just got it, & that is that. It also means no more Field Allowance , at 3/- a day, which is a pity. ever since Friday, when this began, it has been like a nightmare.
& I an thinking longingly of you dreadful, this not knowing , & realising that it may have happened, or if not that it may be any day now - & me not know at all. I hope I shall have a cable from you in a day or two, even if only to say you are well & waiting too. My latest word from you was Apr 12th which is a long month ago. I am pining to hear again. God bless you darling sweetheart - you are so brave & wonderful, & I am thinking longingly of you all the time. It is almost too much to bear, not to be with
