France.

Thursday. June 20/18.

My Dear Mother:

We had been having a fairly busy week of it and the night before last we were nearing the ‘base' when a dispatch rider came along with a message for me to report immediately at our Headquarters for further orders. - The only way for me to come back was by another barge which got me back here at noon yesterday.

I stuck around the office all afternoon waiting for the C.o. to return but I suppose his afternoon was too well engaged socially to allow business matters to trouble him So I still have to see him this morning about what is to be done. - of course at present I know I am to go to the nineth division. Just where that is I do not know and would not be able to say if I did. Now going to a Division means I will be attached to a field ambulance.

Please dont start and worry. When you think I have been in the army a good long time now and have had no reason to believe there is a war on hardly. Surely I can conscientiously go to the edge of it to keep out my chums who have been living in the Hell for years.

My orders from London called for duty on lines of Communication only. and on that grounds I could refuse to go further but I dont think I would be much of a credit to the family to do a cowardly trick like that. Do you?

I might say that the original order was meant for another officer who refused to go by demanding a medical board first, which will mean a month or two. So you see he was not the right sort anyway.

Again I could hardly go home next Christmas without knowing I had been pretty nearly every place there was to be in the war. I will now be perfectly happy to go back and settle down to hospital work without having the feeling that I even haven't seen the war.

I know you understand Mother and agree absolutely with my feeling. We all have to do a little in the war. My part as a medical man is really so much easier or at least more satisfactory than the part my chums are playing that I should be glad of the opportunity. - you people have your part to play too and that is quite evident. Keep it up for a few more months and then I can say ‘adieu' to my share ‘over here' for a while at least.

I sent a wire to Lorene yesterday Wishing her good luck and suggesting I was being moved. - I do hope she has the best of luck with her exams.

Now, Mother, please dont worry. I will be perfectly alright.

Lovingly
Charlie