Letter from Roy Bruce to Maud Bruce

A letter from you dated 1 st Aug. August
has arrived, and I am very sorry to hear you
are worrying over my last wound, more
especially as I cabled within a week saying
it was nothing. However long 'ere this you
will have realised it was only a merry
jest of a wound.

Don't know what can have
happened to my letters as you have only had
one in two months, I have never let more
than a fortnight go by without writing,
suppose like yours, the fishes are getting a
liberal education. Probably there will be
an advanced school of thought for fishes after
the war.

Blee was the name of one
of the stretcher bearers who carried me out of
Rafa , not Bree. He was hit in the side,
being rather fat the bullet luckily did not
enter his stomach. That was quite a warm
little corner for a while.

I think your advice to Andrews was perfectly
right. He may as well settle down, he will
never get away again.

Remember me to old Harvey when you
see him also Nolan , it may amuse them to
think I have not forgotten them.

The little story about Helen not being quite
decided what to do is charming. I am very
glad you left her to make up her own mind.
You cannot imagine what pleasure her
decision gave me. Keep her on thos lines my
dear.

Am sorry to hear M r Perry is not well,
please give him my regards.

Do you ever send any papers now?
Have had none for months and now that
I am away from the N.Z's New Zealanders , I never see a
N.Z New Zealand paper.

The other day I rode over to see the
Squadron, I think we were mutually glad
to see each other. They are flourishing, but
of course I don't think they are nearly
so well managed now. Fatuous ass
aren't I?

There is no particular news. I took
a photograph of Robin the other day which
I will send you in due course.

What do you think of this yarn:-

A big strapping fellow went up for his
medical examination. Told the doctor
beforehand it wasn't much use as his eyesight
was very bad. Doctor a little sceptical, made
him strip found him sound & then gave him
the eye test, deuring which he protested he could
see nothing. Still sceptical the doctor put
a picture of a lovely girl in black very decollete
before him, he protested he could only see
a black blur. So a picture of a girl in
a short chimmy was put in front of him.
After looking at it for some time, he said
he could make nothing of it at all. So
they tested him once again, & this time
with the picture of a lovely girl entirely nude.
After looking at it for a long time, he sighed
& said "Its no good doctor, I can only see a
faint white blur". "Alright said the doctor
get dressed". After he was dressed he said
I suppose I am exempt from service sir?
"Indeed no, my lad, you're for the trenches".
"But you know I can't see sir -
"Why you d-d fool, you don't suppose when
we showed you those pictures we looked at
your eyes do you! -

Good night sweetheart, am off to bed, my love to you
both. Roy .