Canadian Base Depot
Somewhere in France
May 29 / 17

1st C.M.R. Canadians
B.E.F.
France

My Dear Betty:

Another few lines probably the last from here for I expect to be going up the line in a day or so; we have been having rain for the last twenty-four hour but it is clearing up again now, & we shall have another spell of beautiful weather. I have been rather fortunate sence I came across in being able to get leave about every other day - this had given me the opportunity of seeing something of a fairly large city near-by & a smaller town & some villages, & it has been very interesting - not far away there is an old - old cathedral, still preserving some of its ancient beauty, standing now as a moments of days long gone by - when its old grey-walls withstood the shock of assault & cannonade & afforded probably protection & sanctuary to thousands of refugees. The country round about here is a veterable poem of delight & beauty, just now the meadows are gold with buttercups & dandelions, with a white sprinkling of daisies in the gold - green setting; the trees - fine, giant trees are full foliaged - large houses here & there, standing in the midst of most beautifully kept grounds & garden - lillac bushes everywhere in full bloom make a splendid show with their pale pink & pure white blossoms (am enclosing one of each) in the morning & evening the air is filled with songs of varied note from the throats of ten thousand feathered songsters hidden in the wood & orchards of hillside & valley - & here & there all day long you can hear the gurgle & chatter of streams, as they proclaim their message - a message that goes straight to the heart - opens wide the door of memory & brings the distant very near to those who have "eyes to see & ears to hear. And when the dusk of evening comes & the shadows fall & all is still save for the tinkle-tinkle of a distant waterfall & the gurgle-gurgle of a nearby stream, & you feel the spell of an invisible charm that brings peace & restfulness to your wearied & fretful soul & exorcises the spirit of evil, & gives a feeling of hopefulness for the future & trust in God for the present - such a feeling as Browning must have had when he wrote -

"God's in His heaven
All's well with the world

When this transformation is taking place & the soul mounting to the very uplands - it is then, that the most wonderful climax comes, & heaven is reached & the soul gets so close to God as to feel His hear throb, it is then that faith becomes lost in sight, & at such a moment you feel & see = you know God, for you are communing with Him.

A pale silvery light plays on the western horizon - it grows brighter & brighter - & then slowly very slowly, the moon crescent shaped, rises over the tree tops until the whole landscape is baptized in an indefinable glory, & simultaneously a sweet - clear - soft long drawn out melodious note is sounded from the wooded hillside - it is taken up in the valley, & answered from the hedgerow here & there - until a very riot of wildest - sweetest song is sounding on every hand. It is the nightingale. You stand, & drink it all in - you can never describe it to others = but the charm & memory of it all stays with you - & the peace that is inborn cannot be taken away - for it is God's own gift, & "it passeth all understanding" The moon descends again behind the hilltops - the song of the nightingale ceases - the velvet-pale of night is over-all, everything is quiet save the stream with its cheery - eternal chatter, & you lay down to rest feeling that all is well & will be well. for you are in the keeping & love of God.

Beyond the silent hills - there is the red riot of war - the thunder of guns & the groans of wounded men, And yet you drift into slumber with the sure conviction that -

"God is in His heaven
And all's well with the world."

And as sure as the sun will rise on the morrow - so sure, will the dawn of a better day come = "& perhaps in the not so far distant future & so you face the unknown future with hope & courage & the expectancy of faith = for you have seen the "Vision glorious" & had communion with God Himself. I never intended to go off like this dear Betty, but perhaps the poor effort to describe this experience will help & comfort you. I may have more time to write than I had in England - any way I will try & describe as much as I can & write than I had in England - anyway I will try & describe as much as I & write as often as possible. It is nearly 3 weeks sence I had my last letter from you & I do not expect to get any until I join the battalion up in the front line.

You will have read of the latest air raid on England a town of the S.E. coast, I guess I know the town - nothing is too dirty for them, & if I ever get in front of the Hun with a bomb or bayonet, I'll see the sight of those poor maimed strangled babies & mothers, & there will be no quarter.

I must close again sweetheart, am going into the city again this afternoon. My best and fondest love to your dear self & my darling kiddies - kiss & hug Shirlems & Billy for me & let them hug & kiss you for me. God bless & keep you & reunite us all in His own good time.

yours lovingly Daddy

Betty xxxxxxxxxx
Shirley xxxxxxxx
Billy xxxxxxxx