Somewhere in France
30/7/17

My Dearest

I was delighted to receive your dear letter. We are still away from the Sect. & likely to be up here some considerable time yet. We expected to go back to-day, having completed our "contract" with the Battery, but we got orders this morning to go to an adjoining Battery & help them out. There will be about a week's work there as far as I can know, then I hope they will switch us on to something else up here. I like it much better than being with the Sect. As I have said before, I would do anything rather than put up with all the "regimental stuff" in the lines, & we are having a pretty good time. We don't get up in the mornings until the cook calls "Breakfast up", which is usually about 8.

It is much more sensible than reveille at 6 & an hour's work before breakfast in stables.

Four of our party are having a day off to-day, it will be my turn to-morrow. I guess I will take a trip around to see some of the boys I know. I may wander as far as the D.A.C. but it must be about six miles from here, & that is rather along way when you have to walk. Of course I have no bicycle, that was a great advantage, you could certainly get around the country. I used to think nothing of going twenty miles on a joy-ride whenever I had a day off. Now I feel rather lost without a bicycle.

There have been some lovely gardens around here. Of course it is a regular wilderness now, but there are all kinds of fruit trees. The strawberries are about over, at present we are going strong on currants and raspberries.

There are lots of plum & pear trees & I also found a couple of apricot trees, I hope we stay here until they are ripe. Of course I would much prefer to pick fruit in dear old Blighty,
but that is almost too much to hope for this season. However I think it is pretty safe to say we will be home for good before this time next year, & much sooner than that I hope. I hope you are quite well, I am quite alright.

Good-night Dearest
Lots & lots & lots of love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
from Yours only & forever
Fred