Dear Mum and Dad
I received your very swell present by air. I haven't used it yet, but I think I'll get a new pair of dress shoes, first chance I get. My old ones are getting pretty scruffy, and I've seen some swell ones in London. By dress shoes I dont mean black patent leathers, but brown ones for service dress.

We had a swell Xmas, and I duly drank the toast at 7:00 PM on Xmas night. We went back to our old billets for Xmas as most of the men had friends there. We had a company Xmas dinner at noon which was a huge success owing to their being lots of beer and turkey, then a cocktail party and dinner at the mess, and a bunch of us were asked out to a house for cocktails Xmas night. Quite a successful day.

Life is very quiet out in the woods, we play a lot of poker at night, although we've only had electric light a few days, but its good fun and I think we'll do more soldiering here. I'm running the mess at the moment, apart from my platoon, both of which keep me pretty busy.

Well cheerio and I'll write again. Geoff P.S. The scarf is swell, I've been wearing it so much I feel as if I'd had it for a year. Almost forgot to thank you for it.