A Story of War

I contact Bill Robinson out at Piska and as we are having a party on Sunday at the Mess I collect him from the Club and we do a bit of steady drinking in my room first. The party quite successful with about four women and old Bill gets fairly tight. Next day I depart on 14 days leave to Assam to stay with Uncle Stanley where I am now. Three nights on trains and all very full, so it’s no joke.

Of course my express wire never gets to him and I arrive unexpected, though the factory is only about ten minutes walk from Lakwa station. Aunt Joyce away in Darjeeling but may be back.  I wander around with a .22 but there is not as much life here (in Nahar Habi) as there was at Panbarry. I have some new I.C.I. .22 which is pretty mediocre stuff. (JDW: ammunition?) There are tigers around, but of course they won’t kill whilst I am around, and though I took a bang at a green pidgeon yesterday, it’s about all I shall ever see.

Yesterday morning went to Nazira where the Assam Tea Company has a very pleasant club overlooking a river with jungle on the other side. We sit there drinking some beer we found and I listen to tales of the Assam Road, and watch a fishing hawk at work in the river. Bar a few shots at adjutant birds and vultures I have done nothing so far except wear myself out with the unaccustomed walking. A wire from Ranchi, and Ambala are still on my tail over that imp rest (?) though I have paid it off. They want to know if deposited in separate account. What of the future? Ranchi for a bit, and then Maungdaw or Imphal I suppose, not a pleasant outlook somehow as I see it. 94 sorties completed so far in this war. Isn’t it enough?