Bloemfontein
tell Billy his scraper come in handy
S. A.
and Bert that my face is very sore to say nothing of the tongue & jaws
April 3rd, 1900

Joe

Dear brother I am back here again I am a little used up in the legs not very bad and my feet are a little sore. I have a touch of Rheumatism and was sent back off the march we expect the Batt back today they only went out about twenty miles had no scrap we have about four hundred & fifty men available for duty now but there are a lot of shirks parading seems that there is really anything wrong with them we have a lot sick some with fever & others different complaints I never paraded sick I am not as bad as that Just a little stiff and a numb feeling in my knees and a sore back it bothers me more at night I think you will soon hear of us being sent back to the cape and shortly for home as they dont really kneed us here now they have over two hundred thousand in the field now I have a great appetite and can eat anything we get lots to eat the boys are picking up great the troops are still coming up from the cape fresh and keen for fight so I hope they give them a chance and let us old scraps retire to our homes the backbone of the war is over you will hear of one more big move and then mr porker will have to give in you hear more war news than we do general Buller done some great work at Lady Smith and Lord Roberts at Pardeberg when he made old Cronge surrender we lost quite a few there we are brigaded with the best regiments in the British empire and our division are made up of the Highland brigade and the 19th Brigade composed of the Gordon Highlanders. Shropshire Regt. Cornwalls & Canucks, the Highland brigade are the Black watch, Arggle and Southerns & the Seaforths. and you bet the we had a little work to do as you know where ever there is fighting you will always find the highlanders the Gordons are a jolly lot they are nearly all Dargi men so you know they are no slouches we are having fine weather at present I am getting your letters regular until the last twice of the issue of mail but other days I used to get six & seven so I am all right I wrote about that chocalate box I dont think it has left Cape Town yet the Coy. has a box we shipped them all together so it is safe when I get home I am going to wear it on a string on my watch. I am going to try and get you a german pipe there is some dandies well Joe I have no news I hope in a couple of weeks to be able to send you word that we are on our return march for home I think we will be relieved before long so good bye love to all

Noble