Upper B1 Ward
Katesgrove War Hospital
Reading
7/12/17

My Dearest

How delighted I was to find your precious letter waiting for me when I came in this evening. You don't know how eagerly I look forward to receiving you dear letters, I would love to have one every day but Dearest I'm afraid I would never be able to answer them all. I guess you think I am an absolute failure in letter writing, everyone else thinks so anyway.

I am sorry to hear Father has hurt his knee, Mother says in a letter I got yesterday she thinks he will soon be better again, I hope so.

There is not much danger of an air raid to-night, it is too dull and cloudy. It has been a miserable kind of day, just a drizzle all day, but nevertheless we went out this afternoon.

To-morrow afternoon I am going to an illustrated lecture "The Berkshire Regiment in Palestine & Egypt". Don't suppose it will be very interesting but it will help to pass the time.

I have got mixed up with the days of the week somehow. All day I have been thinking this is Saturday, in fact I believe I dated my letter yesterday the 7th didn't I? There were some awful scrambles around the grocery stores this afternoon. Is it very difficult to procure groceries in Doncaster? I was fortunate enough to get a pound of sugar & 2 ozs of tea, the night nurse always make us a cup of tea about 6 in the morning. We have had some rather good concerts here, the other night we had a fellow from the Middlesex Regiment, a violinist who gets 200 pounds a week in civil life, & say, he sure could play. I've heard of people making a fiddle "talk", well this fellow came as near to it as anything I ever heard, it was wonderful. I've give anything to be able to play just as quarter as good, then I certainly would not have to go back to France, at any rate not in the firing line.

However I am hoping to stay in Eng. quite a long time, I shall sure try my best to capture some kind of job, no matter what it is.

I hope Millie will be successful in her new business venture. If she goes to York I suppose you would all like to live there. Dearest I have been wondering what you would like me to give you for a present, I really don't know what would be nice. Shall I leave it until I come? Then perhaps you will choose something Dearest.

Oh I am so eager to be with you Dearest. I must close for the present hoping you are quite well.

Good-night my Dearest
Lots & lots & lots of love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
from Yours only & forever
Fred