17716 Sergt. Henderson J.F. D & M Wing N.Z. School of Instruction Middle East Forces

12 . 1 .1944

Dear Dot, I have to hand an airgraph sent by you on the 16th Dec & I only got it a couple of days ago. I was jolly pleased to hear from you again and to know that you are fit and well. I hope you had a jolly good time at the Island and did not feed too many fish on the way over. As a matter of fact, I would have liked to have been with you. I have only been out of Hospital about a fortnight and I think a fortnight with your nursing on the Island would do me the world of good. The old ankle has been a bit of a nuisance and is taking quite a while to come back to normal. Really I am quite mobile again but have quite a limp yet and may have for some time. Can you imagine me with

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a hop. Well, this is one time you might be able to take a fall out of me. A jolly good job I’m not at home or maybe you would be pulling my “pretty wee shell-like ears”. No thanks I’ll be fighting fit when I meet you at West Plains. It may not be many more years till you do get a chance. Won’t that be the day, when you are capable of taking a fall out of me. I miss those scraps quite a lot and I’m sure your nails require shortening just a teeny wee bit and without Mum’s assistance. Can you imagine just how you are going to be man-handled by this little child as you call him. Well, old dear, Russell & I managed to spend a jolly successful Xmas & New Year. Did we get lubricated? Yes we did & made a good job of Russell too. Sewed him right up on both occasions. We were jolly lucky to see so much of each other considering the

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size of this Glamorous east. What a name to call it. I will tell you many more suitable ones next time I see you. Do not get impatient now as it would not be safe to write them on paper. I will not be seeing Russell for some time to come. Perhaps by now he has seen Eric again. I had a letter from Eric tonight and he is just a ball of muscle. I wish I was over there too. I am getting very tired of the whole business and longing for the folks back home. We have certainly had some jolly good times over here as well as lots of bad news. Won’t a chap appreciate good old N.Z. when he gets back again. Just imaging stealing across the street from the Invercargill station and having a beer or two at the Railway Hotel. It will sure liven the place up a bit having the licence back again. If Eric & I hit that dad-durned town together, they better have a good

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supply in hand. Old Eric is just the same as ever, but no need to sneak home and make out you are sober over here. I suppose he has told you about the party we had in my cubicle. Lasted three days & three nights. What a time we had. By the way how are you behaving yourself? Never hear much about your parties. I guess some of them are pretty good too? I only wish I could be in on some of them. Eric showed me a few snaps of you in your nursing outfit. You do look so nice & dainty. I guess you will not weigh any more than fourteen stone at the most? When all said and done, I wouldn’t have minded if you had been nursing me for a few weeks when I had a special looking after me. Not that I knew such a hell of a lot about those few weeks. Still, I think I would have known that profile of yours in any dream, good or bad. HA.HA.

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I was just about four months on my back and believe me I was sick of the sight of the place. I guess I could beat you at the juggling feat? Oh yes, quite easily. The last week or two I was a professional. Gad! I could carry four pans & four bottles at the same time and believe me I was fast getting down the corridor, even though one foot was a dud. Physically I am pretty good now & it only remains for the old foot and ankle to patch up the nerves again. I am back in the School in Base and they are giving me a jolly good spin. Actually I am doing hardly any work at all. Marking exam papers is as far as I’ve got so far. It is improving quite a lot and I hope to be of quite a lot of use before much longer. I got all behind with my writing while I was cast on my back and now I’m at it every night trying to

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catch up leeway. After I finish this one I will only have three or four to bring me up to date. It is jolly hard work writing to so many at home. Not much a chap can write about in this country. One thing I must mention is the weather. It is devilish cold over here just now, at least I should say I am feeling the cold a hell of a lot. Quite a blow after having those nice hot water bags in the hospital. No doubt I was very much spoiled while I was there and maybe that is why I am feeling the cold so much. No nurse now to tuck me in. Have you seen my Wee Lady these days. I hope May took her out to see you all at West Plains. Lenore will be quite a big girl now and I’ll bet she is the life of the house. At last Ray has been pushed out of the band, but I do not know if he is any nearer to the fighting part or

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not. I hope he is and maybe he will get his deserts there. Well, old dear, I guess you should consider yourself highly honoured getting a letter this size but I think I have reached the finishing end now. Give my best regards to all the family. I hope they are all well and still as lively as ever. I’m O.K. myself, so keep yourself in good form till we meet again. Your such a dainty wee darling, I would hate to see you get big and happy? God help your patients if you ever get mad at them. Do be careful & don’t strain yourself juggling. Cheerio Lots of love and kisses xxxx Jock xxxx