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Letters From The Bowes Brothers – May 1, 1916 Bramshott Military Hospital

Dear Mother and Rest of Family,

I am doing fine since my second operation. The abscess is nearly all dried up now and as soon as the big cut on my leg heals I will be up. That is all that is keeping me in bed at present. At last they have my temperature down as it has been normal or below it for over a week now. I have been out every day since last Thursday and my face is all sunburned. They carry me, bed and all, out as soon as I am dressed in the morning and I am out till four in the afternoon. They say I am getting fatter every day and believe me there is room for lots more yet. My ribs would make a whaling good washboard at present.

It is just 13 weeks ago today since I went into the brigade hospital and have been in this hospital for over 10 weeks, now. I hope I will soon be out of it all.

I suppose the boys will be busy seeding now. How do they like the soldier life? Are they still in love with it? I am longing for the day when I can get back to camp again. That’s the life, believe me.

We are certainly having lovely weather here, the best I ever saw anywhere or any place for the time of year. The other day the lowest it got was 77 degrees in the shade and that was on a 28-mile route march. I’ll bet they sweat some. But the old machine gun unit came home without a man falling out. You can’t beat that bunch for marching and carrying a full pack.

I had better ring off now as it is near bedtime.

Your loving son,

Cliff


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