Baghdad Sep 15 Dearest Father. I've got a day out with the week and find suddenly that it is Saturday morning and mail day instead of Friday as I fondly hoped. Fortunately the most important letter - to Bridget - I wrote last night. A quite charming little brooch has arrived from you, bless you! You ought not to give me such pretty things in wartime I'm not sure that one should not use a safety pin strictly speaking. I forgot to tell you that I asked the kind Red X Commissioner, Major Stanley, about your launch. He says it is the best on the river, never sick or sorry. He doesn't know about the ambulance because ambulances are handed straight to the I.M.S. I went to a party this week - the first party I've been to since Delhi. There was a regatta on the Tigris and G.H.Q. entertained us all at tea. I think, by the way, I was one of the hosts since we're included in G.H.Q. I didn't see much of the regatta because there was a glaring sun on the river, even at 5 p.m., but I sat under an awning and talked to all the Major Generals and felt that I was seeing life. Incidentally it resulted in my going to tea next day with General Marshall - he commands the 3rd Corps - a very interesting man whom I had just met as he passed through Basrah [Basrah, Al (Basra)] last summer and hadn't seen since. I went to see some carpets and china which he had bought, very pretty and I should think one or two of the rugs very good, but I know less and less about rugs I find. He is coming to see two of mine which are also rather pretty. But I no longer buy any rugs on account of the war loan - that was a little bust when I first came to Baghdad. Richard is an evil companion in the bazaars; he is always buying and tempts me into making combined bargains with him. He will shortly be a Brigadier General for he is appointed B.G.G.S. to the 1st Corps under the charming General Cobbe. I'm very glad; it will give Richard a fine opportunity for doing things and he and General Cobbe will be most happy together. They go up to Samarra shortly and I shall go there towards the end of the month for a few days change. I've not been to Samarra since 1909. It's really getting cooler; my room at the office is never above 91° and these last two days I haven't needed a punkah till 10 o'clock. It's so blessed. You'll be interested to hear that I'm a tax payer in the Occupied Provinces. I've just paid Rs 10 to the Revenue Dept. in respect of my date gardens - or as you might say date garden. I feel it gives me a distinct standing.
? propos of the Red X. I can't tell you how beneficent they are here. I get my money's worth - or yours - out of them, for Major Stanley is always supplementing my needs with soap and toothbrushes, sheets and table cloths and various odds and ends which are otherwise unprocurable. However as I served them for a whole year I feel less reluctance in sponging on them for comforts. All the small things in the hospitals, things which make for daintiness and prettyness come from them. It makes such a difference when you're ill to have white sheets and .......... pillow cases - they are really more than a luxury.

I'm much better, almost quite well; it's time too. This country is a desperate place for recovering from anything. You go dragging on feeling like a worm long after there has ceased being anything the matter with you. But it's all the more pleasurable when at last the worm begins to turn.

My nice friend General Wanchope is back again and established here for some time I hope, but one never knows. I see him occasionally and like having him very much. Your very affectionate daughter Gertrude