#12 Casualty Clearing Station
July 30/16 B.E.F.
Dear Doris,
I don't know whether it is I who owe a letter or not, but here goes anyhow. – I'm bored half to death this afternoon and am trying to forget it by writing. – My troubles this time were caused by trying to pass a boche shell on the same track. – It seemed to have the right of way and I was ditched with a shrapnel wound on the forehead. – As luck (bad luck) would have it, I wasn't bad enough to get sent to England and so here I am kicking up my heels in a poky little French town. –
It seems as if my head is too thick to be penetrated by mere shrapnel. – I fancy it would take a 12 inch armour piercing to really damage my skull. – If they had only hit me in a more soft spot I might have been convalescing in England by now, at some nice country place. – Well, better luck next time I suppose. – It's beastly hot here, at least I find it so but there is an Australian in the bed next to mine who does nothing but shiver all night.
This is just a small hospital in an old convent. – There are 42 patients in – None of them serious for the bad ones all go down to the big hospitals at the base or straight to England if they can travel.
All this invalid talk must bore you horribly so I'll quit it. – Drop me a line soon. – The old address will get me as I am going back to duty in a few days.
Love to all
Your aff. cousin
Murray