13th June 1959

Hongkong Bank
Jesselton

Dear Mum, Dad and Alan,

It has been a very busy week both inside and outside the office and we have been resting this afternoon. This morning I took Caroline to see the Queen's birthday parade at 6.45 am and watched the Navy, Australians, Gurkhas, Police (in white & red) dress, in a fine ceremony with a lively band. Then shopping and golf and an afternoon's sleep. During the week have finalised the paper work for the take over by one of our agencies as head office for Brunei State and am due to fly up there on 25th and return on 26th/27th to talk things over with the Brunei manager and make sure things are understood for the switch in accounting. Have thoroughly enjoyed this piece of business as it has been a change from routine and is a rare thing to occur at all, so that I have felt that everything was my own work. Apart from that it has been a proving point that I know this particular job well enough for my own satisfaction. This may seem curious but as is quite usual we are self taught in new departments and without having anyone else's work to compare with can seldom be absolutely sure everything is tied up.

Similarly in Inward Bills in Calcutta my proving point was the strike when I had to do everything normally done by clerks as well as my own job. The enclosed card was the invitation to a pretty heavy RN session on Thursday evening. The destroyer was lying off the point and we went out on the Governor's yacht "Petrel" to be taken aboard with all due ceremony and entertained very fully indeed. Being the flotilla leader the ship carried an extra number of Lt Commanders and odds and ends and there seemed to be as many hosts as guests. Last night we had dinner with Mary and Martin Coren who were entertaining four seamen and passed a most enjoyable evening. They were a good bunch of chaps were obviously felt at home right away and were not at all shy. but talked of everything under the sun and did not want to leave when the time came up. We have our do to-morrow - 4 CPOs and a dozen other people to curry tiffin - expect the children will have a lot of attention. They are full of life just now but Adrienne is being treated for worms and Caroline has a rash - but these things are very normal here and modern medicine is very good for clearing things up in a few days. Susan is fighting fit and very energetic kicking hard and lifting her head, smiling and chattering to herself and still consuming vast quantities of milk at breakneck speed.

Wed. Have just received Caroline's card which is a beauty. The curry tiffin went very well and we left to watch a football match at 4.30 - so four hours of entertaining passed off seemingly quickly. They eat everything and seemed to enjoy themselves.

Last night was an early one and we slept very well indeed.

I enclose the photos which are ok. The mountian is over 13000' which is big by any standard.

Cheerio for now and love,

Peter.