46421 Dvr E A Henderson

N.Z.A.S.C.

Attd. 6th Fd Amb

2nd N.Z.E.F.

Middle East Forces

20 June 1943

Dear Dorothy I am afraid I have slipped in writing to you this month, but as I have been on two weeks leave I have not had much time, so hope you will excuse me. We came back last night and this morning I got three letters from you two from Mum, one from Maisie and one from Frances and also a cake from home and one from Ruby so you can see how busy I will be for the next day or two, answering my mail. I have been with Jock this afternoon and have just had a shower with him and am writing this while waiting for tea. We went for a walk to see Barney and found him feeling a bit sorry for himself. He had rather a big night out last night, I took my camera and got a chap to

take a snap of the three of us together, so will send you one as soon as possible. You must have had rather a bad spin getting your tonsils out. Those snaps you sent were great thanks a lot wee Lenore is a dear we thing now isn’t she. I showed them to Barney and Jock this afternoon and they both think you look great in your uniform. I had a photo taken while on leave and am sending you one with this letter. I sent one home a few days ago. Jock, Barney and I are going to town on Thursday and are going to get a photo taken together at a studio, and have a bit of a celebration also. I hope you can manage to read this scribble, but I am writing this on a board on my knee. After tea I am going to Jock’s room to write, his hut is just a hundred yards from where my bus is parked and

he also is busy writing now. Give Hugh my regards next time you see him. I see by your letters he is back again. You seem to have had a lot of trouble with bleeding and swallowing stitches when you had your tonsils out and what’s the idea of swearing at the Dr. By the way give Dr Crawford my regards. I must write him a few lines as soon as I get a chance. I see in one of your letters that Lenore lit the candles of her birthday cake this time, I hope I am there to watch her light the ones on her next birthday. What a great kid she has grown into. Those snaps you sent of her are great. So the parcel I sent you from Tripoli arrived in good order, I am afraid it wasn’t much of a parcel but it was all I could get as there was only these sort of article in all the shops that were open. Every shop had the same thing however they were souvenirs from Tripoli.

he has a good table in it and

So you didn’t have too good a day at the races, I was going to go to races in Alexandria last Saturday but changed my mind. Jock and I were wondering if we will see Russel over this way, He said that he had been down on leave and I see by your letter that you had seen him at the races. I will had a few photos to send within the next week or so and I and going to see if I can manage to send you a film or two for your camera. They are getting hard to get over here now and I had quite a job to get one for my camera while on leave. We had a good time on leave and spent the whole two weeks in Alexandria. It is a lovely city and has a marvellous waterfront and beautiful buildings. We stayed one week in the town and the second week we moved out to a place right on the water front and had quite

a few swims in the Mediterranean one afternoon we had a good sail round the harbour in a yatch (sic -yacht), and after that had afternoon tea provided by the Alexandria Yatch Club, it was a read threat. Another afternoon we had a look at the Zoo and Gardens, but it was a bit disappointing, after having seen the one in Cairo which is very large and beautiful. We went to a few pictures and also a few dances and also had an occasional beer off the ice which is just the thing here on a hot day. There is nothing much to tell about leave, except that it was a real treat to be away from the army for a couple of weeks and to sleep between sheets. The tram cars in Alex are quite good and we had a few rides on the double deck trams and also in gharrys and taxis. I have seen as many as twelve soldiers in one gharry,

which is only meant to carry four at the outside, and believe me I felt quite sorry for the horse. I must take a photo of a gharry and send it to you. Well Dot I think this is about all the news in the meantime I will write to you again in two or three days’ time. Excuse me for being so long in writing this month. Will say cheerio just now old dear and thanks again for the snaps. Lots of love and kisses.

Your loving brother Eric xxxxx xxxx