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[Page 43]
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and I thought that the incidents were indeed crowding.
Ron returned to his Aerodrome by car that night, and I felt how good it was to be so closely in touch with him. The next day's mail brought me a letter from Cecil saying that he had been knocked out through a shell bursting close to his machine and was on his way to England via Havre. His next letter announced his safe arrival at King's College Hospital, but had suffered a relapse owing to an Air Raid in London. Some of the Bombs fell close to the hospital and the wounded carried in then naturally had a bad effect on all shell shock patients. Later, this danger was realised by the Medical Authorities, and all sufferers were taken out of the London area.
Among my mail forwarded from London, was a letter from Miss Bride, whom I met in the train some months before returning from Market Drayton. She told of her appointment under the British Red Cross to a recreation hut for Convalescent Soldiers, and described her surroundings which I immediately recognised as my own, and found that I could communicate with her by telephone, only two miles away. Her surprise was considerable, and afterwards an interchange of visits with her was my greatest pleasure. There were some wonderful entertainments held there. The big hut held a thousand men, and was completely equipped with electric light, stage, and all accessories. Among the men was some extraordinary talent and there was a splendid orchestra that varied in quality, owing to the performers regaining their health and going back to "the line", but it was never mediocre, and at no time did it ever lack a conductor. They had excellent revues. One especially good was written by a New Zealander and the music composed for it by a member of Beecham's Orchestra. The help of our W.A.A.Cs. was enlisted for the costumes and altogether it was a noteworthy performance.
The Xmas Pantomime too, was brimful of local hits and witticisms that gave the men much fun and interest. It ran for a fortnight, and invitations to the sisters in Hospitals