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Private J. D. Caves: The Long Journey Home

8 April 1942 B Coy 24th Bn N.Z.E.F Middle East Forces

8 April 1942 B Coy 24th Bn N.Z.E.F Middle East Forces

My Darling Jean,

The other day the course of our work took us to a small village where we had a chance to study the natives more and also to sample many of their drinks. Some of them are quite good but very potent. The people are very friendly and seem very willing to help us. On the roads the whole population of many villages seem to be working enthusiastically. The women and children doing more than the men in most cases. I'm getting some fine ideas for future practice incidentally. There is of course the question of your agreement to be considered I suppose though.

A few days ago we had salmon. I could tell your Dad that I had caught it but actually hand-grenades were used - a couple brought up enough fish for the whole company. Yesterday we climbed a high hill on manoeuvers. Just a huge rock pile it looked from the base but as we climbed we found pockets of soil in which beautiful clusters of ice-plants and arctic daisies all strove for pride of place. We have never struck a country where wild flowers have been so numerous - even the weeds have bright flowers. Much of the rougher wasteland is just covered with a bulb that has a stalk of white flowers - not very pretty by itself but very effective in clumps. Trees however are absent and shelter belts don't seem to have been heard of so that on a cold windy day the landscape is very bleak.