p.

4.

In spite of all this, I have had more fresh air & out
of door work & exercise in the last three days than
for some time. There was about ten miles of marching
on the way here & then I have been trudging round
looking at all our defence posts. I have been
taking the subalterns every morning on drill parades
& yesterday I had a full Coy parade, very regimental.

Also I am provided with an open two seater Austin
7 here, as the CO's car, & so my motoring is
also done in the open, instead of in a hired civilian
saloon car, as up to now - not so grand perhaps but
it is far healther & it is mine own to drive myself:
I hate being driven by these people - they are the worst
ever. The Arab worse than the Jew of course. I
have not met one decent driver - either they drive
too fast, terrify me or else they drive so slowly
& carefully I want to scream.

Tomorrow, we start off on a full training programme
& everyone will be very busy.

I had a note from Eric (Blake) James the other day,
sending congratulations about Maxie - which was very kind
of him. The rest of his letter was rather pompous, as
usual, talking glibly about O₂E & the A.M.S & so on.
I was amused when you told me about him having
written Peggy that he was too miserable on the boat
to enjoy himself. I should hate to think that on
a six weeks voyage I had to tell you that to
convince you that I really was missing you
& had reached hitherto untouched depths of misery.
And that I could not tell you that in spite