The Major said that seeing that the red tape was almost impassable

TCD MS 11274/28 folio 1 recto

TCD MS 11274/28 folio 1 recto

28th March 1916

Letter No II (midnight)
My dearest Mary I promised Id write if I had anything to tell you. Indeed I have; it is as follows This evening after I had sent off your letter (I expect youll get this with it), I was sent for by the Major who had my papers on his desk.
He explained to me they had been send back to him from the Corps. as improperly filled for the following reason: Major Dawson at the W.O. had written in them that “theyd accept me as 2/Lieut  RGA SR _ _ etc”. The Corps explained that if this meant Special. Reserve the application was on the wrong form and should have been on B201 and wished to know what the application was for.
The Major said that seeing that the red tape was almost impassable and that the delay in obtaining new forms etc very great he advised me, well, I think to pack up the application and forward it to Major Dawson with an explanatory letter and this is what I wrote to him (I give it verbatim you can shew it to anyone who wants to know just how I stand): – (Copy overleaf)