Dave to May                       Sheerness           Wednesday [19th Feb 1919]

My Darling,

I do hope you didn’t get wet yesterday or caught cold. I am very glad the back work is better & that there is a possibility of getting level with it this week. I wish you hadn’t to stay late. Never mind you won’t next week, as I shall probably be there to stop you.

I suppose I ought to write to Ethel Barnett to thank for her offer to send me books, I believe I did from Germany didn’t I?

Don’t you think you manage me quite well enough as it is without anyone giving you hints, & in any case I don’t think you would have cared to have taken hints from the lady on the film.

You have done it now. I have got “There’s a Land” on the brain. I expect when we are married you will wake up to find me asleep, but gently humming “Until” or some such thing into your ear.

If I can get back to London from Surbiton in time on Friday I may be able to meet you. I don’t quite know yet what train I am to catch, or how long I am likely to be at Surbiton, but if I can manage to come along to you I will telephone first.

So far there doesn’t seem to be any hitch in the leave arrangements here. Nearly everyone has gone except one or two, who like myself, have been kept back to do certain jobs & they are going when these jobs are done.

With regard to Saturday. I shall if possible catch the 9.35 which gets to London Bridge at 12.8, when I will come straight to you at the office & send my card up. Failing this I will catch the 10.20 getting to Holborn at 1.37 & I will then go to Slaters in Poultry where we usually go. Of course if they suddenly stop my leave I will wire to you.

In any case you will go to Balham this weekend won’t you? I have written to Mum telling her I shall most likely be home, so she will expect you too, as I told her you would most likely come.

Today I think I have done more work than I have since I have been here. It amounts to nothing of course. I have only taken three parties of boys to school. Certainly I had to walk about a mile each time as they are in huts about ½ mile away from the mess but still it does seem a lot of nonsense.

Last night they turned the search lights on all along the front. They have them every few hundred yards or so, so you may guess they make things pretty brilliant.

While I have been here the man at Holzminden – Lucas – offered to buy my valise when I got demobilised. Do you want to keep my camp bed & sleeping bag, or shall I sell the whole lot?

Later

This afternoon I took 30 or 40 men for a route march – a gentle walk for an hour. I am beginning to feel quite hard worked.

By the way Lucas invited me to go to tea on Sunday, but of course I told him I hoped to get away on leave.

The days won’t go quickly enough. Never mind in two days now I ought to be with you.

Goodbye Dear.

David