Correspondence – Page 13

To Major General A. P. Wavell.

9. 2. 28

Dear Wavell

I am reading your book, and liking it very much.
My first vanity, when I got it, was to look up myself in the index! I apologise for this : but so many people have either overdone or underdone the Arab business that it’s a real pleasure to see a fair statement of the case; it has more than tit-bits, as you may have been led to fear.
You have thrown several of your rare flowers at my person : this wasn’t necessary.
The author has only too good an opinion, as rotten you know! I haven’t, of course, yet read very far. Indeed I’ve only turned it over just a sheet appetite the tit-bits : they have assured me I’m going right

So if all I and we assure serves me I’m going right – fancy there to go in another great war – the Palestine Campaigns that’d will be more lessons in the Falestine dept. the enemy always the French ones. A hope you have kept the enemy always in the picture. War-books so often leave them out : and neither Liman nor Kress is very palatable. No, India is not good, we are seven miles from Karachi. I have passed a low or self-denying ordinances, one of which keeps me within camp-bounds, another forbids me the canton, a third prevents my ever sitting down on another coat; and then my own (and the) maxim not a plaster saint : but even this wasn’t enough. After a year of rather evident non-notice the G.O. sent for me, & stepped heavily on my face. However, he has made some amends to be (or arranged his corps revision, from [illegible] in 1915. Wonderful how they get back, isn’t it?) and Salmand, knowing that,stepped in and saved me. So all is well, & my conduct sheet still white. And I’m lucky it will be insulted in 1920. The only decent thing about India is the climate here : never cold enough for an overcoat, or not enough for a sun-helmet. A marvellous relief after Arabia and Egypt.

I’m glad you have the mechanical side to play with.
It will completely change the face of future tactics, I think and hope. The abolition of the rifle shall we say? A very good riddance. Give my regards to Berty and Clayton, if you meet them some while.

That fat-head, Philby, is going to write a book against Gertrude & me. Cat & puppy, it was. Will he call us soul-affinities! Fat-head again to him.