France

Jan. 13th 1918

Dear Nen:-

We're still here but the school is to be moved next Wednesday or Thurs. and we certainly wont be sorry to leave as we're in amongst the biggest duds in France. 4 of the other fellows have gone to Corps, but as only one Artillery officer was applied for of course they took Milton as he's a Captain. That leaves 3 of us, thank goodness those other wops, the two I told you of have gone.

I've had no more mail since the last dose. 31 at once and it sure kept me busy answering them. Glad to hear everything is all right at home but was sorry to hear about Jean. I hope she's all right again by now.

We're still doing the same old things and none of us have ever been so fed up in our lives. Everybody has the wind up over losing their cushy jobs back here and you ought to see the way they crawl around the C.O. who's a major, canned as useless from the line. He's a bright specimen also and doesn't love us at all. He started to jump on me the other day for not having a belt until I told him, how, when & why I'd lost it and the silly mutt ended up by apologizing. Gee! I'll be glad to get back to the battery again and see some live people besides the other two.

Today being Sunday we didn't have any parades so Nichols, the fellow from our Ammunition Column, and I went for a ride. The youth in charge of signals lent us the horses, as we were rather angry with him the other day and we had quite a decent ride. Naturally being in the infantry where they rarely use horses they'd have good ones and they certainly had the nags we were used to skinned six ways. The owner went for a good long healthy walk in the mud!

We'll have to wait for the Army course now which starts on the 30th and lasts six weeks so we're perfectly safe and the worst thing we do is to get our feet wet. Some way to win the war! Haul you out of a job you know and shove you on to a thing you've never been interested in even. However, we're gradually teaching them not to get excited over anything that happens and to keep their shirts on if we're late or anything. We started it in the vain hope of being kicked back to our units but nothing stirring they're too tame.

Must close now, best love to Dad & Ella, with lots for yourself and Grandma.

Bev. P.T.O.

I got the money O.K. and shall send it to Cox's & have it credited to my account. It just comes in handy as I've ordered some underwear, shirts and a sleeping bag. I wish leave weren't so far off, and you all writing asking what I'm going to do. I'll have money enough to buy you all the gloves in London if I have to wait many more leaves. Thanks very much for the sizes and the money.
Bev