September 28, 1941

Just a few lines to say “Howdy” and let you know I haven’t forgotten you completely. Your cigs and Oxo cubes have been coming through very well these last few months and I needn’t tell you how welcome they are. At present, we are out on a ten-day scheme which started on Friday. We are camping out on the large country estate of a certain Lord Limmerick and quite comfortable, as the weather has been fair and warm, though the heavy dew makes everything pretty wet.

As I told you in an earlier letter, I am temporarily an H.Q. machine gunner. The work itself is quite simple but is very monotonous. This particular scheme is supposed to be the largest and most complete ever attempted on these Islands. I understand we are to have plenty of aeroplanes and parachute troops to contend with a well as tanks this time. Blank ammunition has been issued to the guns, so it should be a very realistic show. The big difficulty on these schemes is to make the boys take them seriously, as we have manoeuvred almost two years now and are getting heartily sick of it.

Well, I suppose Alan has nearly finished the harvest by now, such as it is. I’m very glad to hear that your new neighbour is the co-operative type, as it helps both of you in these times and is as it should be.