Pte. Boy Grundlingh
189281
Headquater Company
10. S. A Field Amb
C.o Army Post Office
Durban
26/4/41
Dearest Mom and Dad,
Here we are once again on the point of moving forward. We are all very restless nowadays, and only want to advance and keep moving. In other words, we are keen to finish the job.
I have only one free hour this morning. We are drawing water from a well, so we have to wait and hour because we stirred the water and so dirtied the water.
We have had plenty of rain lately but last night crowned everything. Never have a heard thunder and seen lightning like that of last night. Doug and I were comfortably sleeping under a canvas with only an occaisional drop on my face.
Yesterday lundhtime we had stake and jelly. We bartered two Italian rifles for a young ox. One rifle being ours we could have first pick. We tried to obtain some eggs yesterday so that we could have bacon and eggs this morning for breakfast. But we couldn’t. They issued a 32 oz. tin of canned bacon to six chaps.
They day before yesterday I received only one letter from Nelly. Please thank her for it and the snaps. I posted a letter to them sometime back. Yesterday I received a parcel from Lil containing canned fruit, blades, (Graphic?) salts and two handkerchiefs. Also another Paarl Post but no letters. Today we are having canned fruit and jelly, I made some last night.
Phanie was here a few days ago and we managed to write quite a few letters together. I think we wrote to Suk, Len and Jackie. Two days later he arrived again but nice and tight. I had quite a job to keep him quiet here near the hospital. He slept on my bed and went up to his camp the following morning in an ambulance. He was here again yesterday afternoon for just a few minutes and informed me that he wrote to you the previous day.
I have no war news. At this very moment everything seems a bit queit. We evacuate our patients daily and most liking advancing again tomorrow.
Do you remember a Dr Steenkamp, to whom Mrs. Diane Du Plessis gave a cheque for an ambulance down at Paarl. He is our surgeon now and you’ll hear him on the wireless as well. They made a few records here in Afrikaans and I also had to say something.
I was going to wait for Phanie so that he can add a few lines but I cannot.
Lil tells me that Piet is most likely going to Durban and then she, Anne and Peter is going home. That is very nice. We also congratulated Len on his first stripe. You must not forget to send me Piets new address in Durban. One never knows. If at some future date we come down by boat we are almost sure to disembark there.
Nelly mentioned in her letter, a parcel they sent off for me. That I have not received yet but it is of course waiting for me somewhere. I am anxious to receive a few letters though. I am absolutely up to date with my post. To those I couldn’t write I sent postcards of Addis Abeba and Harar and Abysinnia in general.
Well, mum and dad I hope you are both in good health and one of these days ill be back home and then we’ll give it a bang. Lots of love to you both and the family,
Your loving son,
Boy
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