Letters from James Joseph Makin to his family, 1915-1916, Part 11 of 12

Country of London War Hospital, 
Epsom, 
Surrey,     10/8/16 
  
Dearest Mother & Father, 
There is a mail closing here this 
evening for Melbourne, so I am giving 
you the latest news.  I am glad to say 
I am feeling A1 now, and am getting 
up tomorrow for a walk in the grounds. 
The hospital was formerly an Asylum, 
and it has splendid gardens , a sports 
ground, and a Concert hall.  This 
part of Surrey is said to be very 
pretty.  I shall be able to tell you 
more of this in a week or so's time. 
We are only 12 miles from London, 
which is now "out of bounds" to Australians. 
I have not heard from Les. since I 
came to England, but expect a letter any 
day now.  He is back with his battalion, 
I think. 
I sent him my diary to England early 
in June, but I think he had left England 
before he got it.  At any rate he has not 
said he got it.  I am very disheartened 
and do not feel much inclined to write 
these times. 

2/ 
There has been a splendid run  
of weather over here, - no rain for 
about three weeks at least.  It is 
very mild of. an evening here, and 
quite close indoors. 
The nurses are very kind and 
we get treated very well here.  I 
am living on fish, eggs and 
pudding, so I ought to soon pick 
up alright. 
I am looking forward to some 
letters.  I have written to France and 
given them my address here.  The 
last mail I have is 30/5/16. 
I see a few Australian papers 
here now and then. 
There is really very little news to 
tell you just now. 
I shall write you a more 
interesting letter next week. 
Your affectionate son, 
Jim 
P.S. I have a lot of PIC's to send Ruby 
and Gertie, but have no envelopes 
large enough just now. 

EPSOM, 
SURREY. 
18/8/16. 
  
Dearest Mother & Father, 
I thought I would take  
a walk down to the G.P.O. 
(Epsom) with the Post Cards 
I had written, as it was 
such a glorious afternoon. 
I soon found this place, - 
a sort of Y.M.C.A, tea-rooms, 
Etc., with a nice little writing 
room in it. 
Then I thought I 
might as well drop you a 
line; this is the history  
of the circumstances 
connected with the writing 
of this letter. 
(By the way, these are not my 
finger prints, either) 

2/ 
Epsom, where the English 
Derby is run, is at present 
full of soldiers of every 
description, - English Tommies, 
Australians, Canadians, New 
Zealanders, and a few from 
South Africa and Fiji.  Some 
are in camp training to 
shortly leave for France, but  
most of them have already 
been there, and have been 
either wounded or invalided 
home sick. 
There are several camps 
within half an hour's walk 
of the town containing about 
14,000 soldiers.  The largest 
is a Convalescent Camp 
for Canadians and Australians 

3/ 
situated at Woodcote.  I 
expect to go there, if I 
cannot manage to get to 
Eastbourne (somewhere on the 
coast).  It would be fine  
to get to the sea just 
now, as the weather is 
hot and sultry. 
Some friends of Les's - the 
Misses Fairfax - came to the 
hospital last Saturday.  I 
think you told me you had 
one of those PIC's - a group 
including Les, Capt. Gibson, 
& the Misses Fairfax.  They 
sent me one yesterday.  Les 
looks well in it, don't 
you think so? 

4/ 
The F's are very nice people. 
You know the sort, who speak 
with great precision and care. 
I am afraid I should  
feel horribly out of place if 
I accept their invitation to 
visit them in London, - 
which I must do, I suppose. 
Capt. Gibson wrote a very 
nice letter asking if he  
could do anything for me, 
and inviting me to stay 
a few days with him - 
very embarrassing for a 
poor "baksheesh'" Private. 
I hope he does not insist. 
Well, dear People, this is 
all the paper I have, so I  
must close with best love 
to all till next mail. 
Your affectionate son, 
Jim