Perham Downs, England. 1/3/17
Dear Amy,
By the address you will see I am still in England. I am having a splendid semi – holiday playing soldier in this camp, drilling men etc. etc. It is a huge picnic. There is a lot of work but I’m getting to know a wee bit about it so it’s easy or what the boys call a soda job.
I am about the luckiest boy in the world- it has been proved so many ways to me. Very recently I was sent to AIF headquarters London for a day’s work on some finicky little paper matters that finished about 3pm. I spent the evening in town – went and saw “High Jinks” at a theatre and purely by accident met a soldier who had 15,000 men under his control. He took me to dinner and later to his home. He has some young people who he calls his silly big kids. He accused me of being as irresponsible and made me part of the family with free entrance to his home which is a very fine one, quite as fine as any in England. It has been the means for me being able to to get the weekend off duty twice since and as the camp is one of the many in his districts invitation is practically as good as leave, so while my loved ones at home are thinking I’m in the midst of the trenches etc I am having a good time in England. I spent my birthday with him and have orders to go there this weekend. In short I’ve been given it as my home while in England so it is better to be born lucky than rich.
Heaps of love to all, Stid.
I haven’t had a letter from home since May so there is a heap of them somewhere.
