Letter No. 113
22/1/44
Dear Mum,
It is about a month since I sent
you a letter by surface mail but that is only because there is so little news.
I have my work cut out trying to fill an airgraph. This is just to let you know
what I did on leave.
We expected to be away
for two weeks but the army took over our hotel at Amalfi & so the leave was
cut down to eight days so that everyone could get away.
We had a very quiet time
indeed because Naples was out of bounds owing to a typhus epidemic amongst the
civilian population & so we spent most of our time at the hotel.
In peace times the hotel
was a sanitarium for people suffering from gout, lumbago & similar ailments
& in each room was a bath into which flowed hot mineral water straight from
the hot springs on Mt. Vesuvius. It was good to be able to hop into a steaming
hot bath anytime during the day or night.
The hotel was at a place
called Pozzoli, about ten miles from Naples & we spent our days just
wandering around the town. We just used to walk down the street & buy a
couple of pounds of walnuts or almonds & then sit on the sea-wall & eat
them.
I only went on two trips
while I was there. They were to the top of Mt. Vesuvius & Sorento. It took
us an hour & a half to walk to the top of Mt Vesuvius & about ten
minutes to come down again. I wouldn’t like to see you try & walk it. It
was almost too much for me.
That is all I did for the
eight days I was away. The weather was beautiful the whole time we were there
& it has been pretty good since we returned.
I spent the day to-day
putting up a hut for our mess. It is about 15 ft wide & 30 ft long &
stands about 10 ft high. It is made from galvanised iron & angle iron &
just fell together.
Well, Mum, that’s all for
now but I will write again soon.
Much love to all at home
Lovingly
Yours
Frank
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