No 3 Base
Sunday 15th July 17
Dear Uncle Julius
I arrived here on Friday evening and tonight your postcard dated 23/6/17 was given out with the mail. It has only just reached this office for I inquired for letters as soon as I came in here. There are various post office marks on the card, including Base 4/7/14, Havre Convalescent Camp. I gather that there are some more letters as well as the cable message still to come, and apart from those that were posted just before I sent word to you that I was in hospital. No wonder you were at a loss to know why there had been no acknowledgement of your communication. I do not doubt that they will all reach me eventually for I wrote to the London Base Office where the unclaimed letters go, and also to the postal corporal of our Company at the lines, and directed that my letters be sent here.
I am not doing army work here for a few days but will have to go through ten days' training in the "bull ring" before I can join a draft for the lines. If I get through the 10 days bull ring, I shall reckon I am fit to meet old Fritz again, and have a go to get even with him. There are quite a few of our battalion already here who came down with wounds and other injuries from the fight of 7th and 8th June. Also there are other New Zealanders here whom I know, who have come over with recent drafts of reinforcements.
Best wishes to all.
Your affectionate nephew
Bernard Sladden
