France,
7 May 1917.

Dearest:
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
We have had another idle day to-day. Haven’t been up at all since the night before last which I wrote you all about. To-day five of the fellows from our flight including Duncan and myself went in a tender to a town about 15 miles from here. The tender went there for some aeroplane spares but we went for a joy ride and incidentally to do some shopping. The R.F.C. headquarters there are in a beautiful old French chateau set in the midst of pretty grounds more like a delightfully well kept park than anything else- you know, filled with well trimmed green lawns, little lakes, swans, rustic bridges and all that sort of thing. The chateau itself was a priceless old place.

Duncan and I bought some cotton to serve as wall paper for our hut- white for the walls and ceiling and light blue, quite a pretty shade, for the base-board. Our hut is shaped like this-
[sketch of hutch]

The roof and walls are of corrugated iron and it is lined throughout with thin pine boards dove tailed. Tomorrow we are going to put up a porch on the end of the building to keep the hot sun out and to give us extra space to hang up clothes. We are gradually getting it all fixed up pretty "jake" Perhaps it is just as well that you can't see some of the naughty pictures that we cut out of "La Vie Parisienne" Do you know that little Sunday School Paper? It's a great favorite in all R.F.C. Messes.

Must go to bed now, my Molly Bawn. My eyes are full of dust and sleepiness. I am enclosing Harry's address and Fred’s address. Am also sending you Aunt Nannie’s letter under separate cover.
Yours, Dearest One, with all the love of my heart,
"Eric"