Baghdad. March 23. Dearest Mother. This week I am writing to you only as I hope and think that Father goes to Italy in a day or two and if you like you will send him on my letter. Not that it is going to be of great interest I fear. One thing that will amuse him, however, is that the Wedgwood Benns (M.P) turned up on Sunday. They came to see me in the morning when I was at the museum, but I got hold of them by telegram after tea and they came round then. Very nice people and I've been very polite. I asked them to dine tonight to meet Mr Woolley at which they were delighted, but next morning, having put him into touch with Air Head Quarters, they have whisked him away from my dinner to Mosul [Mawsil, Al], returning tomorrow. She dines, however, and I shall take her out tomorrow afternoon. That is why I am writing a day early. I also sent Mr W.B. to see Ken Cornwallis and from the latter's account they had a profitable talk. Mr W.B. is anti-'Iraq policy and I thought we might do a bit of propaganda while he is here. Anyhow he is profiting by the presence of the Air Force.
I went to tea with the Queen on Sunday to say goodbye to the little Ghazi heir apparent who is going to England to be educated. I was so sorry for her, poor thing. It must be hard to send your only little boy far away into conditions of which you haven't an inkling.

I have been spending the afternoon today trying to learn a little about arranging a museum. Oh dear! there's such a lot to be learnt that my heart sinks. However, I know what I shall do. I shall concentrate on exhibiting the best objects properly and get the others done little by little.

Meantime the new museum building has to be re-roofed, for the present mud and beams could be cut through almost by a penknife held by a determined thief. So it will be some time before I get in to the upper floor, but I shall shortly be able to begin on two downstairs rooms.

I had a very boring dinner party on Saturday to relieve the Bourdillons of two elderly guests, Sir Thomas Comyn Platt (whom avoid in London - he is such a bore) and a Colonel Fergusson who has been for months in Mosul, busy (so to speak) with the relief of the refugees. Otherwise his present occupation in life is to conduct Lunn's tours - it's Lunn who is getting money for the refugees, that is why he came. There could have been no other reason. I got a very nice Mrs Kerr to meet them, an American who is now running a big Govt girls' school here. (I'm sorry to say she is shortly going back to America.) She was a great help.

On Sunday I had a most different bridge party dinner, Ken and Captain Holt and one Squadron Leader Payne who plays bridge admirably and is pleasant besides.

Tomorrow I dine with Bernard Bourdillon (Violet left for England this week) to meet the Military Secretary of the High Commissioner in Syria who is coming over to discuss various points with us. He is said to be affable but I fear I shall not see much of him as I shall be away at Kish the whole of Thursday.

This will find you at Mt Grace with Elsa and her children. I do hope it will be good spring weather and that you will all have a restful time, you especially darling.

This for Father: I will never breathe a word about the air passage bill. Your very loving daughter Gertrude

I am so glad that Frances has found an ideal house.