No 59.
France
26/2/18
Dear Nerta,
It hardly seems it was the 20th that I last wrote one of you, but according to my book. I wrote Dad that day. Since, I have been only fairly busy, till to-day, when we got quite a few patients in, and made things hum a little.
I was down town for an hour or two this morning, as it was a very fine morning, and usually I can get out then easier than any other time of day. I wish you could see some of the jewelery here, it is beautiful, but rather large. Brooches of dragons, birds etc, and the diework is really wonderful.
Say, kid I am getting fat, weigh 158 or a little better, and never felt better in my life. I am very comfortable just now too, with a good coal fire at my back & the wind is surely howling around the building. These buildings are merely skeletons, sheet iron, (corrugated) with no sheeting inside, and the roof the same. This is the style of building we are in, on the reverse of this sheet & of course this is a standard type and can be put up very quickly. The Steward’s department is about ten or twelve feet partitioned off & no communication with the other part of the building, except a wicket between our office & that of the L.M. The back of the building, besides L.M.s office is the linen & utensils stores. We have office & store room & a little passage between where the wards & kitchens come to be served with supplies, I have marked my table & chair in ink, you see I have the light from the window right beside me, & it is fine. We have big coal oil lamps too.
I don’t believe I mentioned receiving the cigarettes, but they arrived O.K., thanks.
You can send on receipt of this letter, a money order for five pounds, sterling, payable to Army Post Office No. 4 (four), B.E.F., France. I won’t need this till about April 1st & keep record of number, state etc. in case it is lost.
I have three of your January letters, 13, 20 & 27th which I will answer.
Those Russian Devils have fallen down again, and now I suppose all eyes will be on Japan. For a few days. I hope there is something stirring.
We have heard of the Thames flood the other day but we do not know how bad it was.
I don’t see why you don’t like Loew’s. That is just the kind of amusement, that a person who is studying or doing close work needs, and is the kind I thoroughly enjoy.
Sure, go up & see Quinnie, she is some good sport and if you have any pictures, show them to her. I sent her some of the Irish ones but don’t think she has seen many of the English ones.
What kick have you on margarine? You should get a pretty good grade over there, but personally I have forgotten that there is anything else. Ours is not always extra good, but really what we get most of the time, I’ll bet I could give you for butter & you wouldn’t know the difference. We get the most beautiful bacon too, of course we never had much of it at home, but I have had all kinds elsewhere & never have I had such fine grades as we usually get here. There is very little room for complaint on any of our meals, and put them meal for meal against the average boarding house meal, that I’ve had in my day, & I’ll take these, every time.
Hope you haven’t had any more fire escape callers lately. Of course that is one thing we miss here, as everything is on the ground floor.
My but the time flies, I suppose it is the same with you tho, and it is only those at home who feel it drag. Why it will soon be two years since I left you all.
We have had a pretty quiet month, thank goodness, it has been either too windy or cloudy, for which we are truly thankful.
Now kid, about this card I am enclosing. Do take the best of care of it. This is one of the squadron that give us our first real Captain 25/1/18 and lies just as I saw it, and this spot is one I know very well.
The machine is of course badly broken, and has been set up this way, for exhibition. The size of the two immense engines can be well seen, as they lie on the ground in front of the wings. The rest, in use between the upper & lower wings – on the lower of course -, at each side of the car, with the propellers to the front. This is the type of large “Gotha” that Fritz is using against us, in his night work. I watched this squadron work, and saw it fried on by ours guns, for over an hour, but of course did not see the machine fall, as it did not come down in flames.
Let me know condition in which card arrives, as I will try to get another, if it gets broken.
Lovingly,
Worth.
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