Sherriff was writing to Pips about the time left until he might get leave:

’90 -14=76 – quite a bite into the next 3 months which I am afraid must pass before leave comes round. Still, time never stands still and every minute past brings us nearer to it – and after waiting double the time leave will come double the sweeter’.

He told his father that he had not yet received the book which his Auntie Ede [Edith, his father’s sister] had sent, but was looking forward to it: ‘I am very fond of philosophy – my only regret is that I cannot apply it as well as I wish’. He was struggling with another book which he’d been sent (at his own request, when he was hoping to be transferred to the RE) –  ‘a huge book on surveying about the size of the London News volumes’ – and  he was unsure whether to keep it in his valise (he liked the engravings), or send it back home.

On the whole he had found himself with relatively little time for reading  – or even writing – since arriving back with the battalion, which he had mixed feelings about: on the one hand it was good to be kept busy, but on the other, ‘I rather yearn for the days with the RE, when all your time was your own.’

Apologising for the ‘little scrappy’ letter he was sending, he promised Pips more, and longer, letters if they managed to go out to rest for a while. [In the meantime, however, starting later that evening, the battalion was heading back into the line].

[Next letter: 12 January]