France
5/10/17

My Dearest

I have been back here exactly a week, & each day have eagerly watched for the mail coming in, thinking there would be one of your precious letters, but have been disappointed every time.

Dearest, this week has seemed to me the longest I have ever gone through. What a drastic change to those wonderful days I spent with you. Already it seems ages ago & oh Dearest I do miss you. It is terribly hard to take any interest in things over here.

We are not very busy at present, it is just a matter of killing time. Our guns are not in action yet but we have a working party up there fixing up the position. I have not been away from the waggon lines, I think I shall try to stay down here as a driver, it is safer than going up forward. Of course I shall have to go up occasionally with ammunition, but that is not as risky as staying with the guns all the time. As for going in for signalling, I think I will leave it alone, for a while anyway.

The General paid us a visit on Wednesday, I have an idea we shall be going out for a Divisional rest before long, then probably move to another front. This is only a surmise, of course we don't really know.

The weather has been lovely until to-day, it has been cloudy & unsettled all day, now it has commenced to rain & there is every prospect of a wet night. We have a good shack with a roof of corrugated iron, so we are well protected against any wet weather.

This afternoon we scouted around some old dug-outs & found a pretty decent stove & pipes, and there is lots of wood about that we can burn. We shall be able to cook some wonderful suppers. The menu to-night is cocoa, porridge & buttered toast. That is not too bad for "active service" is it?

I am enclosing a copy of the "Listening Post". There is nothing very special in this issue but perhaps you will find a little that is interesting. When is your whist drive coming off? I do wish I could have stayed for it. But Dearest, even if I had stayed with you a whole month it would not have been any easier to come back here.

Dearest I wish I could get a job in one of the offices in England. There seems to be absolutely no possibility of such a thing, unless I happen to be sent back to Eng. wounded then I might be able to work someting like that. Dearest I cannot tell you how much I am longing to be back with you again. I am just living in hopes of the beastly war coming soon to an end. Sometimes I think it is really impossible for it to continue much longer, then probably the next day I will think it might go on for years. It is enough to make us all go crazy. If the Russians would only do as they ought I believe the huns would soon collapse & be willing to submit to any terms we might dictate. I see our Government have really decided to make reprisals for the too numerous raids on England. That looks a little more hopeful, I hope they will do it good and heavy. That is what they ought to have done long ago. Our humane ideas are alright so far, but they are simply wasted on brutes like the huns & after what they have done, nothing would be too bad for them.

I must close now Dearest, hoping you are quite well. I feel sure I shall get one of your dear letters to-morrow. Good-night My Dearset & I do hope to be back soon.

Lots & lots & lots of love & xxxxxxxxxxxx
from Yours only & forever
Fred