November 17, 1916

East African Expeditionary Force
Daressalam 17/11/16

Dear Father,

I got no letters or papers for about 3 months, but have got a few back numbers during the last week while I have been in Daressalam.  The division has come back here on its way to somewhere else.  Daressalam was the capital of B.E.A. & it is a very fine town.  Nairobi cannot compare with it at all.  The Germans left all their women and children behind when they cleared out, but messed up everything that was going to be of use to us except the Electric power station.  They evidently did not want their women to be without light.  The manager was in the place running it when our troops arrived & he has now been taken on by us at a salary.  I don’t know how long this show out here is going to last now but if it is not over before the heavy rains in February it will no be over this August as it is impossible to move in the rain with any sort of transport except porters.  They are forming about eight new battalions of K.A.R. supposed to be for service somewhere else when this is over out here; they applied for me to go back as Company Commander but I am remaining where I am at present.  They have enlisted a lot of German askaris  & are at present recruiting in G.E.A.  I hear the latest verdict about the war in Europe is that it will take other (sic) two years.

I expect it will be after Xmas by the time you get this.  It is very hot down here.  As everyone cleared out of Moschi a long time ago, you might address my letters with c/o Engineer’s Headquarters Daressalam or c/o C.R.E. 1st Division Expeditionary Force East Africa.  The 1st Division is under Maj. Gen. Hoskins.  Smuts Headquarters are sometimes with the 1st Div & sometimes with the second under Maj. Gen. van Deventer as a rule he is generally with the 1st Division. He takes some big risks sometimes & at one time used to travel with the advance guard.  They say that he does not even tell his own staff what his plans are.

If all his orders had been carried out properly the war out here would have been over long ago.  Did you do anything about the rubber shares?  They should both have paid a good dividend this year.  They may stay up after the war & they may not.  I should think there would be the same demand for rubber.

Yours Aye,

Tom

P.S.

I see Ayer Kuning are now about 28/- or so & Merrimans about 6/-.  If you can get the former sold for 30/- & the latter for 6/- you might do so as I expect they will come down with a slump after the war.

Tom

I have had no mail delivered since 18th May.

Tom