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15 Dec 61 Julius Camp Budla Ke Serai Mother 10, Hyde Park Terrace ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Camp ‘Budla Ke Serai’

En route to Seetapore

15-12-61

My dear Mother

I fear I have been so negligent lately in my letter writing that I ought not to lose any chance of sending news of myself & my doings.

We have now been on the move four days, after tearing ourselves from our old friends both male & female in Fyzabad. Our parting, I need hardly say, was rather sorrowful as we had many good friends there. Seetapore* will not be as nice a place as our old Quarter, I fear, but we mean to make ourselves as happy as possible.

Marching life is pleasant this weather. We go generally about 10 miles or so and start at 4 or 5, so the first hour or two passes in the dark. Half way we have a standing breakfast at the mess dhoolies and the men their cups of coffee which makes a nice break & clears ones throat of the dust.

We are now divided into Wings; the detached wing is now proceeding to Rae Bareilly ...... [illegible] Hd. Qrs. in both my Capacities as Rifle Instructor* and as Capt. of No. 10. By the bye, I am also Interpreter to the Regt. for which I get exactly £1 a month as I found out the other day.

The ladies of the Regt. march with us. We have six in our lot, amongst others Lady Kelly, who rides generally at the head of the Regt. In the afternoons we generally devote ourselves to Pig sticking or Shooting, so the days pass quickly enough. Now for breakfast, orderly room and Pig sticking so please excuse my very short epistle & believe me, with love to all of you

Very truly yrs.

J D Laurie

I have not yet sold my house but I think it is all right & will sell shortly. I will not rent it.

* Seetapore – (Now Sitapur) 100 miles north west of Fyzabad

* Rifle Instructor – He had previously described himself as a Musketry Instructor. Quite apart from the 1853 pattern Enfield rifled musket, the British army had issued the Baker rifle, (a muzzle-loading flintlock) to the Rifle Brigade in 1800 in time for the Peninsular War