R.H. Gray, Lt.
Box 519
F.M.O., Kilindini,
Br. East Africa
July 29

Dear Phyllis, Ed and Jane,

I have been neglecting you all very badly and I don’t think I have written to you for about a month. I am afraid that I have been bad about everyone except Mother and Dad who have a letter every week. However aside from the fact that I most certainly should write I expect Mother and Dad give you the very skimpy news about me. – You will have heard that we have moved again to this new place. It is not too bad really as I have a good job and an interesting one. That is all I can tell you about it really although you may be able to gather something about it from one of my other letters. It looks too as if I am stuck for a long time without a chance to get home. Frank Leigh-Spencer said something about me getting leave. I wish he had not said anything as I had to explain the whole thing to Mother and Dad. The truth is that I am entitled to it if I am not wanted particularly someplace else. At the moment, then, I am stuck. The good thing about it is that I have it still to look forward to. But don’t you bank on it anytime soon, please and don’t let Mother worry about it, will you. How is Jane? Give her a kiss for me. I hear you might be leaving her with Mother and Dad in August. They will spoil her for sure, I expect, but I know they will enjoy it so much and get a lot of good from it. I hope it can be arranged. Mother tells me that business remains quite good. Is this true or are they just trying to make me feel good. –The war news is still O.K. Eisenhower has just told the Italians to stop helping the Germans and we would get rid of them for the Italians. That is fighting talk. I hope we can do it quickly. We ourselves don’t seem to be getting into it at the moment but we live in hopes. I don’t seem to be able to find anything worthwhile to say so I am going to stop. Please give my regards to anyone you see. Joey Smith (whatever her married name is) Pauline Mc[?] etc. And give them too, to Mye and Len and their baby. Thank Mye for her cigarettes and tell them that a sea mail letter is on the way. I only get one of these a week now and so they are reserved for special cases.

All my love to you all,
Hampton.

P.S. Buy Jane an ice cream cone and charge it to my account.

[Editor’s note: The envelope’s postmark has been used for dating the letter's year.]