46421 Dvr E A Henderson

N.Z.A.S.C. Attd. 6th Fd Amb 2nd N.Z.E.F.

M.E.F.

5 March 1943

Dear Dorothy, I received you letter written 24th Dec two days ago and was pleased to hear from you again. I had two from Mum and one from Maisie and have just finished answering them, so here goes for a reply to yours. How is the jolly old nursing profession going, I see that you are still hard at it. What’s this I hear from Mum about you coming a flatty off bike again, a bicycle is an object made to ride, not to go skating on. The news of the decoration must have upset things a bit, both with you and at home. Tell Sister Condon if she still feels she has half a claim on me, it is O.K. by me. I see also that Dr Crawford is thrilled about it too, tell him I was asking for him. Now what’s this about Alex Robertson, you seem to be

getting very keen on soldiers. What about Rupert. So you had your Christmas dinner in the theatre, well you and I seem to have had our Christmas dinners in much the same atmosphere as I had mine in what we call the reception tent, which is a great big tent, into which all the wounded are brought and fixed up, before being sent back out of the battle area. I hope Mum and Dad had a good time up at France’s for the New Year. It was just alright them both getting away together. I have had a few cables since I got the decoration and also a few letters so am kept busy trying to get time to answer them. I had a cable from the Traveller’s Club, and a few weeks ago also had a parcel from them. The day I got your letter I had a long letter from Aunty May and am going to answer it as soon as I have finished this one. I also had a letter from Joan Timpany, and one from

Jim Lennox in Dunedin so that is three more I have to answer yet. You will probably remember me speaking of Jim Lennox, he is the head traveller for Lever Bros in Dunedin. About a week ago, I sent a parcel home with a silk scarf and hankerchief in it for you so let’s hope it arrives safely. They will be souvenirs from Tripoli for you. We have shifted from where I last wrote to you and have just got settled down in our new area, but I don’t think we will be in it very long. It is very warm where we are just now and we have our buses parked in among a few palm trees. It won’t be very long now until we are back in our shorts again. Summer is fast approaching. There is very little difference between summer and winter here, except during what are supposed to be the winter months, the nights are a bit colder. Do you still hear from Charlie

Henderson, I often wonder if he has headed off over this way. I suppose Scotty Donald is still playing for the dances in In’gll if you ever see him, give him my regards. Well Dorothy old dear, I am afraid I must close now as there is very little news I can give you at present. So will say cheerio just now. Lots of love and kisses. Your loving brother xxxx xxx Eric

P.S. Don’t go falling off that scooter of yours again and tell Sister Condon we will have to see what we can do about that half-share. Did you ever get the negatives I sent you a few months ago. Let me know in your next letter please Dot.