FAC159/1/64

Letter: from Richard Dillingham at No 21 Kite & Balloon Section RFC Camp, [France] to Christine Dillingham at Kings Road, Flitwick - writer is recovering from his cold and runs through how he has been feeling over the last few weeks; - "I've never had such a bad cold in my life as I've had this winter out here. I felt downright bad for weeks & hardly knowed [sic] how to crawl about"; - notes he had to walk about a mile to see the Doctor and be there by 9 O'clock. "All we got was a pill to work us well and two quinine pills and light duties"; - comments that staying in the hut was "about as miserable & draughty show to be in as of course the fellows were in & out all the time"; - notes at times you couldn't see across the hut for smoke especially at night-time. "It used to make me cough until I could scarcely stand"; - notes they were also on short on rations and what they did get were sometimes spoiled. "We didn't get nearly enough food to stand against the cold weather"; - comments that they often got only one small loaf between eight and a half lb. tin of jam for a meal; - notes that her, and his mothers parcel arrived which came in very handy and the cakes were very nice to top up with after meals; - is glad to hear that she and the children are getting on alright but sorry her Mother is so poorly again; - wishes he was able to come home and stay especially at night time; - notes he is longing to see her and the children again and expects to see a great difference in them. "Tell poor old Ben I will come home again soon to see him in the big puffer train"; - notes that he has had a letter from Harry in which he says he had a good time at home with some skating on the fish pond; - comments "I guess George Palmer doesn't feel very gay now he is in uniform but it will do the likes of him a lot of good"; - notes they had moved camp at the beginning of the previous week. "Its been nothing but work ever since we have been here"; - comments that the camp is situated in a small wood close to a railway and is about a mile from a decent little village. "The only trouble is that there is no water in it and we have to fetch all the water for the camp in a cistern with a motor from the village"; - notes he is on guard duty and is making the most of it to write a letter; - notes that they sleep in a big hut on beds made of canvas across a wood framework and there are nearly 80 beds in it. "Its like a second hand rag shop but warmer than the last one"; - comments they have got a new balloon which has two baskets attached to it and they are the first section to have one out there; - comments his wife mentions giving her cradle to Rose [Christine Dillingham's sister], "you know what they say about getting rid of a cradle that if you do you are sure to have another baby";

February 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

item

Dillingham, Richard,
Dillingham, Christine,
Dillingham, Ben,
Palmer, George

colds, doctor, weather, water, ponds, FLITWICK, France