Letters from Robert James Henderson, July - December 1916 - Part 4

A & V Ward
N^o 4 General Hospital
Kings College
Denmark Hill
London
21. 9. 16.

My dear Mum
Have just received the enclosed 
letter and card from Colonel Durrant 
who commands the 13^th Battalion Of 
course I do not deserve all this 
rubbish and shall hav be getting a 
swelled head if this sort of thing 
goes on.  This is the second one of these 
cards I have sent to you but I 
am indeed honoured by receiving Colonel 
Durrants letter which I value more 
than all the cards or decorations known.
We are indeed lucky in having such 
good men for commanding officers
Our late  Col commanding officer Col. 
Tilvey was simply fine but unfortunately 
on account of ill health he has had 
to come to England for a spell and 
am afraid is finished as far as

2
active service is concerned. His He 
has been twice here to see me 
and has also arranged for me 
to go to some of his friends 
in Scotland for some shooting 
when well enough. This is characteristic 
of the man. Then Colonel Durrant who 
has taken over the battalion was is 
an old 13^th man but has been 
brigade Major for some time past 
yer In that capacity we all had a
good deal to do with him and I 
get on very well with him he is an 
exceptionally fine young man and an 
excellent soldier.  It is simply great having 
these sort of men to work for you
will probably have met his wife who is 
a keen worker for the Comforts Fund.
Had such a nice note from Millie 
Henley a couple of days ago they are 
indeed good having invited me as 
their guest to the Grand Hotel 
Plymouth for as long as I like.
I shall make a point of going 
down & staying a few days with them
Of course they all feel their loss

3
keenly but are very brave & try to 
be as cheerful as possible.  I have 
all sorts of invitations to go and 
see people all over England in fact
 do not know how I shall manage 
with a limited amount of time at 
my disposal Then you know one
will have to tear ones self away 
from this bit of a town called 
London it is some place according 
to all accounts.  The old leg is getting 
on finely now  it is just a week 
sin to-day since the operation was 
performed and in a couple more days 
hope to get up on a wheeled chair
The little girl who dresses my leg is 
simply wonderful and although she has 
hurt me like the devil she is very 
thorough and of competent and I give 
her all the credit for saving my 
limb.  The worst is over now tubes etc 
being much smaller & shorter.  Expect I 
shall not receive any mail from home 
for months now but still that cannot 
be helped. Trust everything is OK.
lots of love to all
Bob

21/9/16 

V & A Ward
N^o 4 London General Hospital
King's College
Denmark Hill
London
25.9.16.

My dear Mum,
Still in the same old 
spot but getting along very nicely if 
slowly. Got up on a wheeled chair 
two days ago for the first time 
which was a great change they 
will not let me put my foot to 
the ground yet but I have only 
one small tube in the leg now 
the hot forments are discontinued 
and the incisions healing nicely 
so that in the course of another 
fortnight I should be quite all 
right again am very anxious to 
get out of this and have a 
look around you can imagine I
would not take too kindly to 
hospital life still everyone is very 
nice the nurses and sisters spoil me

2.
properly The little girl who dresses
my leg and self have furious debates 
every an day as to how long it will 
be before I can get about even with 
a stick etc but she is too shrewd 
and will not commit herself. For
me I have several invitations this 
week. One to go out to the 
Brierley's to dinner one night before 
next Sunday as they will be out of 
London after that for some time 
also an "At Home" stunt next 
Wednesday afternoon at which Ada
Crossley is going to sing then I 
want to have a trip to Scotland
with one of our officers before they 
go back the holidays of the most 
of them are drawing to a close 
now however anticipate no trouble in 
getting a congenial mate here. Funny
making all these plans what I am
going to do etc when one may only
get a couple of days leave if that
You see being in the hospital so long
and of course battalion being very short
of officers they send you back right
away if fit. The best thing is

3.
a small crack which keeps you
in hospital about a week then
you get about 3 weeks holiday
which only absents you from your
battalion a month or so but if
we  here for a month or 6 weeks then
added to that another month
holiday you can see it is some
considerable time to be away.
However one may be lucky Any how
expect I shall be glad to get
back after a couple of days kicking
around same old story anticipation is
better than realization I am fixed
up as far as money is concerned
having got the Bank of N.S.W. here
to transfer £100 from my a/c at
Annandale to their branch here they
have notified me that the money
is waiting for me so I shall open
a current a/c with them here
Ask Mick to find out what
balance I have left at Annandale
& let me know in case I wish
to send for more also tell him I
may have some left over here if I
get slugged not to forget to get the
balance back to Australia

4.
The battalion sent me a great mail
across a couple of days ago 12 letters
from Australia and a Balmain Cricket
Report from Billy Bull. 1 letter from
Hope it was great 3 letters from Lorna
1 from Mick 1 from you Mum 2 from
Lucy Cowdery 2 from Dag & 2 from Jane
Tell Lorna & Jack I think I receive
all their letters but do not answer
them as I know they see the ones
I write home and it is not much
use writing the same stuff out twice
being am so lazy as ever you see When
there again when one is in the
field time is very limited but
am always glad to hear from
everyone Being in the hospital has
given me a chance to get my
correspondence up to date but expect
I shall fall short again as I am
able ^to get up and play bridge now
no need to ask which I will
choose playing bridge or writing letters.
Great excitement here on Sunday night
or rather early on Monday morning.
The German Zeppelin Raid again in
London & districts. The bombs &  guns 

5.
woke me up as a matter of fact
there was were a lot of casaulties & damage
done only about ½ a mile from this
hospital Still it did not worry me
much I smoked a cigarette put
my head under the clothes and went
to sleep again feeling very safe these
raids seem very minor to me after
a bombardment at the front Still
it would be rotten to get a clout
over here when away from the
front would it not. You will no
doubt get full accounts of these
air raids in the papers so
shall not discuss further.
Am just about to have my leg dressed
then a game of auction so will shut
up. Have not heard from Nana for
the last fortnight but expect he is
all right Shall write again when
there is something doing Please
excuse the scribble xxxxx, etc
Love to all from Bob
Shall cable when convalescent also
when again off to France to join
the Battalion. RJH

V & A Ward
N^o 4 London General Hospital
Kings College
Denmark Hill
London
 27.9.16

My dear Mum,
The mail closes for Australia via
America tomorrow at midnight so will write
a few lines. Think I wrote a few days ago
but have forgotten but expect you cannot have
too many and although there is no news still
I am in the humour. The old leg is progressing
favourably though very slowly. have arranged to
leave for Scotland next Monday week but after
to day afraid there is no hope.  rather bad luck
as I was trying to go with one of our
officers who has deferred his trip until the last
week of his leave so as to come with me.
The set shock came about in this manner
One of our Medical board people came along
and asked how long before my leg could be
all right again the Sister told him 30 more
days I nearly fell through the floor Swore
at the Sister told the medical officer she