Page:FM Bailey letters from LA Bethell.pdf/3

Letter 2, 27th September 1915 c/o Thos. Cook and son Ludgate Circus London, E.C. England (please forward).

Forwarded to The Shelbourne Hotel Dublin.

Various post marks 23rd FEB 15. Stamped in red “Passed by no 1683 censor” Oddly, no postage stamp.

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Letter 2, 27th September 1915

IMG 0330


 * Headed with a red ‘War Office’ seal, with UK government coat of arms

Room, 351, 27–9–15, 5.30 p.m.

My dear Bailey

I’ve made enquiries about your R.F.C. idea. It will not be easy for you: the difficulty is as follows: –
 * A) a necessary preliminary to any such appointment would be a written
 * statement by the India Office – or, in your case, by the Foreign Office, that
 * they will dispense with your services for the rest of the war.
 * B) If you get this, then the rest should be comparatively easy – that would
 * probably depend on an application on your behalf by the O.C. of some place
 * like Hendon – the latter would be able to tell you if they have any age limit
 * beyond which they will not take people.

The apparent red-tape of the clause a) above is more sensible than it seems. The India Office reserve the right of resuming disposal of the services of any