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15 Jul 58 Julius Azimgurh Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Azimgurh, 15th July /58

My dear Mother

The mail leaves the day after tomorrow so I must try to have a letter ready in time.

I got a letter (June 9th) from my Aunt Robert* yesterday & this morning a short letter from my Father the same date, to say that we are to have a Second Battalion which I suppose ought to bring us some promotion.

I do not understand how Byron * is to get Mathew’s * step, both being subs. Perhaps my Father meant Marsh’s.

I hope Helen is all right once more & that the whooping cough has not left any effects on either of the sufferers.

How is Mary? By the time this reaches, I hope it may be as well as could be expected. You must let me know all the particulars.

I have heard no more from Peter but suppose he is waiting to receive my answer to his first letter before he sends off any more.

I suppose Arthur is on the Briney* at this moment. I wish him a speedy voyage. He ought to have come to Bengal, but I suppose it cannot be helped now.

We are very quiet here. Lots of accounts of rebels being in the Province of Azimgarh, in the papers, but we have never seen any. Azimgarh is one of the North-West Provinces & is not in Bengal.

Our races are coming off in a week; my mare is to cut a figure in them if all goes right. I am going to ride her one race & a lightweight another time.

Shiffner of Ours has gone to Calcutta & from thence will I expect go to England. Mathew who came out about the same time as I did has never yet joined & now we hear he is at Calcutta & is going home.

We have just got Subs. enough to hold a Court-Martial with one to spare, altogether 5. I hear our Depot is over 600 strong so we may expect strong drafts out from England.

It has been rather a wonderful season out here. The rains always begin about the 15th June & this year we have only had about half a dozen showers.

My Father mentions having closed his letter to me from home, which I have not received.

I am not going to give in to the climate if I can help it & at present do not feel as if I should have to. I hope all are well.

22nd July

There was no mail as I expected, so I have been obliged to keep back this. I received more letters – one from you & one from Arthur (9th June) yesterday.

I am sorry to hear that Father is complaining again.

Our races came off yesterday; my mare second in first race & another last.

I think the best direction for me at present is ‘Post Office’ Benares, & I will arrange to have letters sent on. At present all my letters go up to Lucknow.

I see the Clarence has sailed so Arthur has put off into the world.

Love to all from yr. affect. son

J D Laurie

* Aunt Robert – Elizabeth Laurie, wife of Robert Peter Laurie, his uncle. (John Laurie’s first wife, Mary, had been her sister; the two brothers having married sisters, Mary and Elizabeth Sparkes)

* Byron – Lt. John Byron

* Mathew's – Lt. Edmund P.L. Mathew

* Briney – Sea