12 Charleville Circus
Sydenham SE
Jan 6 1916
My dear Mother
I have only written a few lines to Kathleen since I have been back so you will I expect be looking for a letter. I was glad to get your letter on Monday. I have since then had a letter from George dated 28 Dec acknowledging the receipt of the tobacco I sent. I gathered from his letter that there had been a good deal of activity on his part of the line. Since then I have learnt from other sources that “the lucky fifteenth” were by no means lucky on the occasion of their last visit to the front but unfortunately had rather a heavy list of casualties. I understand that the Board of Inland Revenue are going to release their men in the first four groups, as they are called up they will be going very shortly. Quite a number of registrars in the Claims branch are in those groups, and I hear that their places are to be taken by women. The latter will not come in until we have taken up our new quarters at Canada House. The move is to be effected during the weekend, and they hope to get it all through between 1 o’clock on Saturday and 10 o’clock Monday morning. As far as I can make out we shall be very cramped in the new building, and I rather anticipate that in three or four months’ time when an arrear of claims begins to accumulate that it will be found most inconvenient.
Have you heard again from Cyril? I wonder whether his regiment is in Egypt.
Mrs Horsman heard from her brother a day or two ago. He is at Salonica and busy with his horses. I expect they have to rely much more on horses for bringing up stores and ammunition there than they do in France.
I have written to Aunt Fanny to see whether I can go over there on Sunday.
The debate on the compulsory service bill was very interesting but the arguments of the anti-compulsionists were very thin. Really some of these people seem set on giving the Government as much trouble as possible and prolonging the war for an indefinite period. I particularly liked General Seely’s speech.
With love to all.
I remain
Your affectionate son
John D Sladden
