1940 22nd November. Boy to Parents.

Pte Boy Grundlingh, 189281,

Headquater Company,

10 M.F.F, Field Ambulance,

S.A.M.C, U.D.F,

To Army P.O

Durban

22^nd November 1940 

Dearest Mum and Dad

How do you like this badge. Nice isn’t it. It was done free-handed by one of my friends. There is also one on the envelope.

Sorry, couldn’t finish the letter yesterday. I was ordered down at Brigade H.Q and had to carry despatches all day. I was released just before 5 o’clock so as to attend our Rugby Practice. Our “A” Company challenged us and it was up to me to select a team from our company.

We were going to play this afternoon but our Colonel thought otherwise. He first informed us that nobody over 32 was allowed to play. That was only to get Dr. Parker, an excellent player, and our Sergeant Major out of the team. This morning the S/M told me that the match is cancelled/ Now we are playing another unit at Soccer.

I have here about 50 cards, being too many for one letter I’ll include the rest in Marie’s letter. In her last letter I sent her 10f to spend during the holidays. This morning I made a 1 frank donation to the Air Raid Victims Fund.

Last night we received our Brandy issue. Today we received over 100 cigaretter and the boys will be able to buy some Beer as well. I’ll try and get a bottle of Whisky again.

Thank Marie for this morning’s letter. It was written on the 5^th November. I also received a nice letter from Aunt Myra from “Kais”, S.W.A.

Phanie will be back about Tuesday bringing along some Christmas cards. I only hope he obtains decent ones. I ordered ½ dozen this morning and we are also being issued with 3. I at least want 1 dozen to satisfy all my friends.  A pity it won’t be in time tho’, but you’ll have to excuse the delay.

Last night we had some more dust storms and I thought I was going to sleep in the rain again but the wind had the opposite effect and its hot and stuffy today. We also attended another of out numerous events in a nearby camp last night. We had lots of fun on account of the boys being full of (pots?). I tried to get whisky but couldn’t.

Otherwise we are still keeping fine and all in good health. Did I tell you about the letter I received from Mrs Perald? I answered that and am now just about square with my correspondence. Marie’s letter outstanding. Well, Mum and Dad, enjoy yourselves during the Christmas and New Years festivities, most likely I’ll be in Nairobi enjoying myself as well.

Lots of Love, your Loving

Boy

1940 18th November. Boy To Ernest

Mr and Mrs Earnest Grundlingh

“Nancy”

Suider-Paarl

Cape

Pte Boy Grundlingh

Headquater Company

10 M.F.F Field Ambulance

S.A.M.C, U.D.F

To Army P.O

Durban

Monday 18^th November , 1940

Dear Ernest and Nellie,

Thanks so much for the lovely Parcel Ernest. It arrives here in excellent condition. The trouble is you closed it so well by soldering it that I had to cut it open with a tin-opener. Phanie’s and mine arrived in the same day and just in time too. That same afternoon Phanie left for Nairobi on a 10 day local leave.

I was in his camp at the time when the Captain called him in to inform him to be ready at 5 o’clock. I came up with him to Brigade H.Q and then to the A.P.O to get the parcels and post. I said goodbye  to him and on going to over to a concert at H.Q that same evening 7 o’clock, they were just on the point of leaving with the parcel. I also received a letter from Mrs Perald…

I’ll have to give the cigarettes to Phanie though. I did smoke a couple some time back but I noticed it affected my teeth, turns it black, so I immediately stopped again. Loutjie is also a non-smoker. We have another chap in the Kaaia with us- Stanley Freedman, a Jewboy from Port Elizabeth and in two days we received 8 parcels between the three of us. Imagine what a good time we are having with all the sweets and cakes around us. Thanks again Ernest. To come to some general news.

Our Unit is now the proud possessors of a wireless set installed near the Officer’s Mess. We now listen in to overseas news every evening at 8.45, followed by some music and then off to bed. It seems as if the Greeks are giving the Italians Hell. Unfortunately there is nothing to report from this front but we intend giving them hell as well in the near future.

Have you ever tried to drive without lights? We leave camp after dark and return in the small hours of the morning. Occasionally we bump up against a tree and if you fail to get back on the road or in the convoy you have to suffer the consequences.

We are kept fairly busy during the day and only between 2 and 4 are we allowed to attend to our private affairs. That is practically the hottest time of the day and almost impossible to write letters. Water is better now and we are also allowed more so as to do our working.

They’ll be starting to re-issue us very soon. As a matter of fact, Phanie’s unit was issued the day before he went on leave. His leave is something we cannot quite fathom. Allowing this, it means that the chappie who is unfortunate enough to be last in the list will go on his 10 day leave sometime in 1943. Presumably I think it’s some kind of a blind to keep us busy so to speak.

The rainy season is at an end now, with the result that we have plenty of dust and wind again but most of us are accustomed to practically everything and anything that comes our way.

Hoping you are all in good health, have a good Christmas and New Year, because we’ll have the same. Lots of Love to both and John and a kiss for Marie.

Cheerio Boy