Letters from Fred Leslie Biddle to his Mother, 1916-1917, Part 10 of 24

No1 London General Hosptl.
Camberwell
London
23/8/16

Dear Mother
Here we are again feeling
very merry & bright.
The hole in my forehead is now
nearly filled in & I expect to be passed
out at the end of the week.
I will then get some leave (at least
2 weeks) for the scar to get completely
healed.
There hasn't been the slightest
trouble with the wound & it has been
a clean job from the time the wound
was cleaned out at Rouen. I haven't
had the smallest sign of a headache
even, so you will see that I got off
with a very "cushy" Knock.
If I come home with a permanent
frown from the scar I'll have to
grin all the time to show that I'm
in a good temper won't I? 

(2)
However the scars are disappearing
so rapidly that probably after a few
months there'll be nothing to see.
For your full information herewith
please find sketch.
Scars from operation
Original scar V shape
Eyebrow
This is an eye
This is the other eye
Hole 
from 
operation shown shaded = Dead flesh
cut away
Signed 
portrait of the 
writer

FLBiddle
Hope you recognize the likeness
This is my "fighting" face.
I am having a good time here 

(3)
being allowed out every day, so have
seen a good deal of London.
I have been to Richmond (Park & Hill),
up the river from ditto to Hampton
Court, 'Appy 'Ampstead, Battersea Park,
Chelsea, Hyde Pork & other London Parks
Kew Gardens, Zoo, Botanic Gardens, &c
&c. & have seen lots of shows at
the theatres including Peg of my Heart,
Daddy Longlegs, Mr Manhattan, The
Bing Boys, Bric-a-brac, Joyland, & 
Half-past-Eight. The last four are revues
& except Joyland are very good.
Mr Manhattan is an American Musical
comedy. If it is put on in Australia,
don't miss it!
The first two are good comedies.
Daddy Longlegs is a bit strong on the
"sob" stuff in the first act (as a
Canadian put it, whom I went with.)
But it gets over the malady in the
other acts & I'm sure you'd like it.
Naturally I am getting to know 

(4)
the West End pretty well.
So far haven't done any gazing at
the Abbey, Tower &c. & haven't seen
St Paul's except from a long distance,
but there's plenty of time for that.
We're a very happy family in
the hospital & about 6 of us are
in a ward on the top floor where our
only trouble is that the nurses pull
us out of bed at 8 a.m.
This ward is for fellows who are
allowed out, & only require "dressing"
every morning.
We get about together a good deal
& knock out a lot of fun.
So you see I'm having a regular
picnic. My luck seems to be in.
How I got off without a fracture of
the skull I can't understand.
I haven't had any letters from
you since I was hit, although I
know that they have been re-addressed
to me. I have had several letters 

(5)
from France in which they have
mentioned sending letters on to me.
However I hope you are all very
well.
Please remember me to all
friends.
Love to all at Berrington Ivy
Bank, Uncle Walter (I hope he has
continued the improvement in health)
& all other relatives.
Best love to all at home including
your own dear self
Your affcte son
Fred
P.S.

Love to Hollis & Jean.
Best wishes to Mr & Mrs Crawford & all the at
Riverina.
Fred 

Kington
6.9.16
Dear Mother
Just a few lines in
time to catch the mail
I was discharged from hospital
10 days ago so you will see I have got
on O.K.
I had a couple of days in London
& then came on to Leominster where I
found Aunt Sue & Corrie & her baby away
at Weston-super-Mare for a holiday.
Uncle Job was looking well & told me
he has felt better during the last 12 mos
than he has done for years. I like him
very much.
Cissie I found in mourning for her
husband. I didn't even know she was
married. She's a jolly nice girl, but
is fretting very much. They were very
fond of one another, & his death has
broken her up very badly. 

(2)
I feel tremendously sorry for her. &
did my best to buck her up.
Harold was pretty well. I think he'd
have been all right, but for his deafness
which is a big handicap & has debarred
him from the ordinary boy's life.
On Sunday last I took Uncle Job
& Cissie for a motor run through
Hereford Ledbury & Malvern to Worcester.
Had tea there & came back through
Bromyard (72 miles run).
It was a splendid trip & bucked
Cissie up a lot. I enjoyed it immensely.
Father will be pleased to know that
I met the following "old hands" who were all
very keen to get news of him.
Harry Davies (Nubbly one) a good old sport.
John Price
Tom Harper
George Bateman (Painter) (funny old stick)
Charlie Page (son of James Page.)
John Watkins (Ex-mayor.)
Mrs Jones (sister of Aunt Sue) 

(3)
A son of George Davis
Harry Lewis (fine fellow).
They were all hoping to meet you
again some day. & sent all sorts of
good wishes
I met M^rs Moss, sister of Will Tedstone.
She is very like him. She was glad to hear
of him & I promised her that I would
write & tell you I had met her, & that you
would pass it on.
Some one of the old hands asked me if
I had ever heard of Charlie Smith commonly
Known as Skitty, but I had never
heard his name. I forget who asked me
about him.
At Kington I met Charles Tedstone &
told him all I knew about Will. He is very
keen for me to go & pay him a visit one
day but I don't think I can manage it.
Business at the Chequers is naturally
dull. There are no fairs this year & men
are scarce
I came to Kington on Monday. 

(4)
Jack & Lottie Bethell are staying here
with their two children both nice Kiddies
The youngest whom Hollis saw as a
baby 3 days old is a fine little chap.
Very active & smart. He's 6 years old.
I like Lottie very much & Jack not a
bad sort.
Aunt Lizzie looks fairly well, but is
very pale & nervous.
Uncle Will looks well (xxxxxxx)
Fredstan appears to be a very delicate
boy. He has been anaemic & is not strong
He is beautifully mannered & a nice
Youngster.
Today we motored to Llandindrod
to see Jimmy. He is quite tall & very
like Noel. After lunching there &
spending an hour or two we went on to
Builth & back through Hoy along the
Wye Valley (about 60 miles run). The
scenery is beautiful & I must say
Kington is far prettier than Leominster
I am going back to Leominster for 

(5)
a day on Friday to see Aunt Sue &
Corrie & then back to London. where
I will spend a couple of days with
Lottie & Jack.
I have to report on the 18^th & am going
to try & put some few days in with the
Fleet. Admiral Jellicoe issued an
invitation to officers on leave some
little time ago for one day visits & I
hear it is possible to put in 3 or 4 days.
So my time is pretty well cut out.
I was given 6 weeks leave by the
Hospital Medical Board but got it cut
down to 3 by AI.F Hd Qrs in London.
I am very anxious to get back to
the battery the command of which is
being Kept open for me.
I am in the best possible "nick" &
the head gives me trouble whatever.
There is still a spot not quite
healed but it is very small & quite
healthy.
Well I've had no letters since I 

(6)
was hit altho' I know they have
been re-addressed to me in London.
So that I dont know how you are
doing but I saw a letter to Aunt
Lizzie (registered) in which I was sorry
to see you were not feeling too well.
Buck up & for any sake don't worry
about xx me. It's a gunner's paradise
in France & a regular picnic.
I'm not exaggerating to please you
when I say that. It's a fact.
Very delighted to see that Father
has taken on further work & I hope
the little fish will continue to flow
into the net.
Well love to all. I am writing
against time.
Best love to yourself.
Your affcte son
Fred

P.S.
Aunt Lizzie asks me to say that
she received the registered letter OK &
will acknowledge it by next mail. Love to
You all from all here
Fred