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<p>a4701802.html</p><p>7/ managed to turn up @ "Elky" for the "Annual". The hoo-ray you rec<sup>d</sup>. was certainly encouraging & I can just picture, Sid Davis Snr., "Nikker" Knight, Peter Murphy, "Jimmy" Moore, "Jack" McQueen, etc., going their hardest. Yes, I guess our dear pals-in-arms, now "Gone West" (Jack Jackson, Jim McClenaghan, Dave Borthwick, etc, etc,) will be remembered & am not surprised @ the marked feelings of sadness expressed by the "old-'ands", & others . . . Can't rem<sup>r</sup>. what I wrote to Sid. Davis in my letter on eve. of departure from England, but I don't think it could have been too clever. Anyhow, I'm glad to know he got it. Thanks to all those friends for their grand wishes & hopes. Encore to them. . . Cream! What's that? It's so long since I tasted it that I only know it by name now. M<sup>rs</sup>. Reeves must indeed be a very kind neighbour, likewise those alongside you, in fact, you must be surrounded by grand people - & it's good to know. . . So Vaucluse is now Neilsen Park, eh? Good! Didn't know B4 that it had been given to the Public as a Reserve or that it was such a popular spot. I first read of it in one of the Miss Back's letters, but couldn't place it @ all in my mind. Next to Athol was the nearest I could guess. They mentioned that swimming there was the "goods", but I am still a shy kind of a bloke where "John Shark" is concerned. I give his crowd a wide berth @ all times. Anyhow, I hope you had nice weather on Boxing Day for your picnic there. (We can't help feeling envious, as the nearest to a "picnic" we get here is a bit of "Anzac" puddin' (hard bisquit crushed & mixed with an eye full of jam & a bit-o'-grease) extra as rations for tea - & very infrequently). Still, this is no "hordinary" kind of a war & we feel like extra-hordinary humans for putting up with it. oo-la-lah!!! Am glad that Uncle Jack remembered Dear Mother @ Xmas & "sprang" with such a useful gift. Ha! ha!! Good old "bust up"!! - & why not? Anyhow, it was cash well spent, especially as regards the floor-covering for your room. Guess it looks "nifty" now, what!? One could easily make 5 guineas look very "sick" over here, or in "Blighty" in fact, most of our fellows, from what I can fathom in conversation, would feel terribly put out if there was not a "pony" (£25) waiting for them to collect @ New Broad St (Com'wealth Bank) or Horseferry Rd. when they came over on leave or commenced Hosp. furlough</p><p> </p><p>PTO → [in bottom left hand margin]</p>