| p. Letter No.55. Saturday. 28 June
Major.J.H Massey
6 Palestinian Coy, The Buffs
Middle East Force
My own darling Barbara -
Your letters are now arriving beautifully
& your no. 49 of May 5th came this week.
You were worried about me getting into
battle darling [?] inexperienced &
maybe losing my [?]. Please don't
worry , sweetheart. we are not exactly
fighting troops, unless it is a case of
parachute or air borne every troops -
& in any case I am quite certain I
should be perfectly calm & able to deal
with the situation. And never shall I
forget my darling, what i have told
you before, that more than anything
in the world, I want to remain
alive & return to you. And I know I
shall & so you must not even
consider any alternative. The thrilling
happiness to which I am looking forward,
is almost too much to look forward to.
I wish I could have another cable
from you - it is 3 weeks now
since I had the first one from Joan
& I really should have heard by
now. The brutes in the P.O. have
certainly sent it to the wrong
place again. I refuse to worry
because I know them to be such
fools. I called you a few days ago
to send me more news. These
[E. Fer?] cables are now different - do
you know of the new idea? Instead
of being able to send what you want
at the special rate, they have now
instituted a system of set phrases
which are numbered - you pick your
numbers, & can send any of these
for the sum of 2/6. That was
what I sent this week - it seems
they are to be quite fast. but
I hope you do not wonder what
has happened to me - the words
must sound so unusual.
Darling, please send me by p.e.
your measurements. I can buy very
pretty stuff here, very cheaply, &
I can have some ideas, of shorts
& blouses, & even dresses & have
them made up by our Coy Indian
tailor, who is very good & cheap.
And if you have any things which | p. Letter No.53. Saturday. Major.J.H Massey
28 June 6 [palestinian?] [joy?] , The [Bulls?]
Middle [East?] [Force?]
My [?] darling Barbara -
Your letters are [now?] arriving beautifully
Your [?] [?] of May 5[th?] came this [week?].
You were worried about me [entering?] [this?]
battle [darling?] [?] [?] [?]
maybe [popping?] [my?] [?]. Please [don't?]
[worry?] , sweetheart. we are not exactly
fighting troops, [?] [it?] is a [case?] of
[parachute?] [or?] air [?] every troops -
[&?] in any case i am quite certain I
should be [perfectly?] [calm?] [&?] [?] to deal
with the [?]. And never shall I
forget my darling, what i have told
you before, that more than anything
in the world, I want to remain
alive [&?] return to you. And I know I
shall [?] so you [?] not even
consider any alternative. The [thrilling?]
[?] [to?] which I am looking forward,
is always too [much?] to look forward to.
I wish I could have another [letter?]
from you - it is [3?] weeks now
since I had the first one from [Joan?]
[?] really [should?] have heard [by?]
now. The [?] in the P.O. have
[page break]
certainly sent it to the wrong
place again. I refuse to worry
because I know [them?] to be such
fools. I called you a few days ago
to [send?] me more news. These
[E.?] [?]. [caller?] are now [different?] - do
you know of the new idea? [Instead?]
of [being?] [?] to send what [you?] [would?]
at the [special?] [?], they have now
[?] a system of set phrases
which are numbered - you pick your
numbers, [&?] [each?] send [?] [?]
for the [sum?] of [216?]. That was
what I [?] this week it seems
they are to be quite fair. [?]
I hope you do [not?] wonder what
has happened to me - the words
must sound so [unatural?].
Darling, please send me [by?] [p.e.?]
your measurements. I [can?] [buy?] very
pretty stuff here, very cheaply, [&?]
I can have [some?] ideas, of [shorts?],
[&?] blouses, [&?] even dresses [&?] have
them made up by our [?] [Indian?]
tailor, who is very good [&?] cheap.
And if you have any things which |