To his mother and Harry, sending an early Christmas letter; says Peter Fleming will be returning to work soon, describes Arthur Foot and his school, the Doon. Says the Auchinlecks are staying with the Linlithgows (Viceroy). The Auchinlecks and Sir Richard Peirse [senior RAF officer; Auchinleck's wife divorced him to marry Peirse in 1946) visited him at the Doon school. Says there is a view that Auchinleck would make a good viceroy. As to the situation in North Africa, says of Auchinleck: "He is the only man who on two occasions has gone out when we were losing and has done battle with the Germans and held them , and anything which Montgomery does now will be in great part the result of his planning" . He wonders how Freddy de Guingand will get on with Montgomery [de Guingand served as Brigadier, General Staff to Auchinleck and then Montgomery]
Has spent some of his time making visits and inspections, including a Gurkha training battalion which he was impressed by; also went to the Forest Research Institute, and visited Royal Indian Military College and an Ordnance Survey to see map-making. Says he has done some teaching at the Doon, and describes a village school, which the Doon is supporting including it opening ceremony. describes opening of this village school.