Lord Derby War Hospital
Warrington
May 16 -17

Dear Miss Lola,

Many thanks for the candy and your letter of April 8. The letter arrived last night and the candy this morning. It is lonely in spite of its long trip and I am enjoying it. The Sister in charge of the Ward is crazy over it and pays me frequent visits.

I was at the Base Hospital Etaples on Easter Sunday. We had a Communion Service in the Red Cross Hut but the singing was hardly music. – not the kind you would hear in Montreal at any rate.

I am sure you would enjoy your holiday now that the snow has gone. I hope your brother arrived in time to find you all at home.

When I came from the Line to the Base, having several nice long drives in ambulances and a long train journey, the country was looking nice and green. It was very different sight from the desolation we saw on our way up last December.

The grass looked beautiful and fresh, the trees were budding and birds singing but of course the line is a horrible looking desert with barbed wire entanglements growing out of it, instead of trees, like some horrible disease.

Father came to see me yesterday and brought me some more engineering books and a book called “Daddy Longlegs” from my sister, so shall have plenty of amusement for a while. I read a little book on the history of Methodism on Sunday by Workman. It was very interesting and may help me in writing a paper for the League some time. I have also just finished reading Balzac’s “Lost Illusions.”

Another of my school friends Capt. Wilfred Barrett has just been awarded the Military Cross. I have just had a letter from his sister telling me of it. He is at Manchester hospital now, wounded just above the eye with a poisoned bullet. Fortunately his eye is all right and he is making good progress. The Barretts live in a suburb of Liverpool called Broad Green. The Slingos of whom you may have heard me speak used to live quite near to them. Whilst in Rouen in hospital Wilf had a visit from Millie Slingo. She happens to be working in the Red Cross Offices there. It is not often that one meets an old lady friend in France!

I am looking forward to hearing from Edith and Bessie. Bessie’s “about to write to you – some time during these holidays” strikes me as rather mixed tense but I should not know when to expect the letter now anyway.

My sister Evelyn writes me today saying that Ralph is going to get engaged so it looks as if I shall be alone like “poor May”.

With kindest regards to all
Yours very sincerely
Arthur Turner