Aus No 407499,
Sgt Goode RM
C/o South Australia House,
Marble Arch
London W.1.
13/4/42.

Dear Everybody,

Got quite a number of letters in the past few days, some of those that were missing from home turned up they had been up to the Shetland Islands. One came from Auntie 'Ol', & one from Alf Griffiths, also some more papers from Auntie Ted.

The second parcel hasn't turned up yet, its been a long time coming, just opened this parcel must be the third, opened the tinned cake, it was nice. From Australia House I received a roll-necked pull-over, 3 pairs of sox & a pair of gloves, & yesterday the Church of England Padre had a comfort issue for each Australian, this writing pad, envelopes, two tablets of soap, shaving soap, biscuits, tobacco (which I gave to the others boys) & a thin pair of pyjamas, quite a nice lot.

I'm quite all right for money, what we do get here is enough & theres not much to spend it on, have put a few pounds in Lloyds Bank over here.

Am just getting over a bad attack of the Flu, still feel a bit groggy, have a cold mainly in the head.

The clocks over here are on two hours so instead of getting up at 6 A.M. its really 4 A.M. its light even then & is still light at 9 P.M. at night, is a contrast from a few weeks ago when it was dark at 9.30 A.M. and again at 4.30 P.M.

Most of the people over here make light wooden frames covered with cloth or paper, to fit windows etc for blackout.

This afternoon has been quite mild the warmest so far in England, all the hedges have started to shoot, so expect its nearly springtime here.

Thanks for all the things in the parcel, I see that everyones name at home is on some thing in the parcel. Some papers came yesterday, Express, some papers from Margaret & some from Auntie Ted. Saw in the Cleveland paper that Harry Connelly was decorated with the M.M., good for young Harry, has anything more been heard of Archie?

Have now five pull-overs, one we were issued with in Australia, two from home, one from the Padre here, & a white one we have been issued with its roll necked & goes down to my knees.

Its my day off today (Monday) am going into Carlisle, about twenty miles away for a few things.

Can a metal soap-dish of some kind be bought in Adelaide for me, mine was taken & we can't buy one of any kind over here, would also like a tin of Nyal Figsen.

Met a chap in the air-force yesterday, has been in for 23 years (poor cow) & is only a corporal now

Love, Ray