A Story of War

There has been no mail for two days, but it has stopped snowing today, and they are snow clearing, so it ought to get up today. My sea boots are a godsend. There’s absolutely nothing to do up here. Saw Wallace Berry (?) in “The Bad Man of Brimstone” the other night, which I missed seeing at home. It was on in Chester, when I changed there on my way to stay with Jonah.

Attam Khan is doing pretty well, and my room looks as though it has been done up when I return from hospital. Feeding in the Club is very good and all for Rs 3/- a day. There are a few RIASC majors who mess there, and the Padre & two RCs & Vetinary officer & an engineer too. Azarrepo has just come back from down the Jandola road. There is a scout post of 300 at Sarroga, and they apparently have 15 “hostages” there. These are near relations of local badmashes, and they are in a sort of concentation camp receiving 8 annas a day. If the badmashes misbehave, the “hostages” are put in the jug, receiving only 3 annas. All this seems damn silly, but I can’t fathom the policy of the political here. The hostages smuggled in with them two small boys to provide light entertainment.

That gun that blew up at Datta Khel was found by a scout gasht. At least, they found the barrel and breech block, a large pool of blood and a man’s ear. The site was also well marked by MG fire from the post, so they weren’t far out. Letters from Uncle George and Mrs Robinson.