1 Llandrindodd Wells
2 Friday
3
4 Thanks for your letter, dear. I am always getting anxious about the
5boy when I don’t hear for a long time I wish I knew more exactly what
6the wound was like.
7
8 Its nice to hear of the friendly relations between him & his men;
9shows there has been so outlet for his beautiful loving old heart,
10even in the horror & hate of the battle field.
11
12 I have have just got a letter from Gladys Cawood saying she is coming
13to England by the ?Kenshwalte Castle which sales on the 9th of this
14month. The enclosed will show who & what she is. She is very anxious
15to drive a motor car in Flanders, & asks me to introduce her to you to
16ask your help in getting her such a post. The enclosed will show you
17the kind of woman she is.
18
19 Perhaps you could tell her how to set about trying to get the post. I
20will give her a letter of introduction to you & Fan. She’s a most
21competent person; hard as nails.
22
23 Mrs Baerleins youngest daughter has been driving motor cars for the
24military since the beginning of the war. She doesn’t even live at home;
25 she is quite on her own. Mrs Baerlein’s sister, Mrs Moser is a
26delightful woman, the finest type of the Jewes, with much clear
27intellect & much character. The war has completely broken old Baerlein
28down. He is a wreck.
29
30 I had a delightful treat yesterday. A drive in their motor car with
31Sir Otto & Lady Jaffe. Its the last they can have as their petrol is
32done & they are selling their splendid car.
33
34 I am sure you & Fan will be feeling better as long as you have the boy
35with you.
36
37 Good bye, dear
38 Olive
39
40[separate sheet of paper]
41
42 I have known Gladys Cawood all her life. Her father is one of the
43leading & wealthiest farmers in South Africa. From her earliest years
44she has been accustomed to ride wild horses, & harness & drive horses,
45& now for some years has driven her father’s motor over almost
46impossible up-country roads. She is strong & healthy, about 30 years
47old, has taken a great part in managing her father’s farms for many
48years. She is not at all fitted for nursing as she has always
49preferred an out door life. One of her brothers fought through the
50German West campaign under Botha, & one brother & a brother-in-law are
51now fighting in German East. She is better fitted than any woman I
52know for the kind of work she wants – i.e. to drive an ambulance motor
53on the front. Of course if she could not get work abroad she would
54perhaps take motor work in England. I can undertake she would be brave
55& stand any amount of roughing it
56
57
58 Olive Schreiner
59
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61