Letter - 17 August 1916 - swimming, wireless training

Athol writes home to mother. In one of his longest letters Athol seems to be replying to queries sent in Adah's letters. He is able to swim about 3 times a day in the Officers' pool when not studying for his observer tests and spending time in the air. He needs more practice at receiving wireless messages.

No.1 Squadron

A.F.C.

Egypt

17.8.16

Dear Mater,

Two letters to thank you for 51 & 52. I have had quite a lot of letters from Pater this last six weeks, about five. Also many thanks for the Australasians etc. I received four recently but forget the dates. Also every now and then I get Punches and Arguses from one of the Womens' Leagues, the National, I think. 'Camel Transport Corps' must have been a slip of the pen on my part.

The scrap Alex Ramsay was in would be on Xmas day and we only went down there in February. The last real scrap was 26.2.16, the very day we left Cairo to go down there. Haven't heard a word of Sperry for months, in fact since January last when I met him (in the 7th Battalion) at Tel-el-Kebir. I will enclose a couple of snaps of myself to fill the gap you speak of, but I don't believe in getting this face of mine perpetuated by a professional.

Before I left Lemnos I got that leather case you mention. I had given the shirt to Norm Marshall and he found the watch case and gave it back to me. I think I acknowledged it at the time, but as I went to hospital during the next few days I may not have done so.

The soap case also came to hand and is very useful as a shaving mug, cup etc as well as soap-dish. At present rate though I won't need many refills for it as the first piece is still going strong. You see at Sollum I bathed so much that soap wasn't very necessary and the same thing applies here as I always have a swim before breakfast, lunch and tea. Glad to hear the Kid (VHA - Valentine Harold Adams - Athol's elder brother) arrived in Blytee alright. I expect he'll have his pilot's wings before I do as they get straight on to the job and miss having to be observers first. I wonder will he be transferred to A.F.C? I'd hate being his observer, as the pilot is top dog all the time. 

Do you remember a Capt Stapleton-Cotton I wrote about from Sollum? He is a pilot in the R.F.C. I got a letter from him yesterday to tell me.

Did I ever tell you that while I was in Cairo waiting to get in here that I got a letter addressed to 2nd Lieut A G Adams, Red Cross Hospital. Rouen? When I got it, it had been all over France and Egypt and on opening it it started 'Dear Arthur' but finished up your loving sister 'Winifred'. Well I knew there weren't any girls in our little lot so I guessed it wasn't for me. I sent it back to the lady writing at the same time to apologise and explain the circus. This mail I got a very nice letter from Miss W. enclosing a couple of snaps of the same and family and a note from 2Lt A.G.A. thanking me for it. They live in Milford Haven and he is in Devon and is on sick leave from France.

I have done all my tests now and passed everything except receiving wireless. We're supposed to take eight words of five letters per minute. I could only manage five and a half, but Capt Sheldon says that he thinks the CO will pass me and anyway I'm doing half an hour morning and afternoon with one of the wireless operators and hope to do the eight words by Sunday next. I can send about 10 but that's a lot easier than receiving. 

I've got 18 hours and 48 minutes in the air to date.

It's getting cooler here now and only makes about 100F and the nights are quite cool.

My love to Pater and the Aunts and anyone I know.

Yours lovingly,

Athol