The letters of Julian Grenfell, February 1914

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies. Ref: D/EX789/F23a

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5 Feb 1914  Potchefstroom  

Darling Mother  

I can’t understand two of my mails missing. I did miss one, as I told you, but one only: and I always post them myself. But you’ve no idea of the utter carelessness of all the officials out here; they simply don’t care a damn whether they do things or not. 

How good the Forest sounds; I do love it, don’t you? You must have had the greatest fun at Avon. I wish I could have seen Mog on ‘Wild Tom’. It’s a pity that Betty is getting so much like Francis; and that James is dead. I hope the Hochgeboreners will dance well at Taplow………  

The old life here – Training – Training the Scouts, Training the Troop, Training the Horse and Man, Training Polo Ponies and Training One-self. How terribly hard the latter is; I never get any forrader.  But I like trying to do the others.  Its getting a little cooler here: no one knows how hot this country is at Xmas.  

Goodbye Mummy Darling. It will be fun seeing you again in October; and I believe  we really do come home then. We will fairly knock them in the Old Kent Road, won’t we? Please give my best best love to the family. Are you welly? Bless you. J