Saturday eve, 25 May, 1918

France

On Active Service

WITH THE BRITISH

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

My dear dad,

I was very glad to receive your letter of 21st yesterday. Evidently 15th London Reg't is the correct way of putting the address so you had better stick to it. Since writing mother this afternoon I have received Billy Annual 1912 and the stack of Daily Mirrors which will prove very interesting. When I have read them they will of course be passed on to all the others in the billet so that they may have the benefit of them as well. So far I think all communications from home up to the 21st at least have reached me. It is rather doubtful whether the parcel will turn up now but one never knows. I was rather surprised to hear that H.D.Q. was training for a commission. Evidently he is not coming to me for 24 which is hard but as he complains rather bitterly of having no leave for nearly a year. But then there are so many like him in this respect over here; why there are [censored]

I am enclosing two different views of the town; one shows a fairly good view of the main street and the other a quite a good view of the church. For fuller information refer to No 29 sent two or three days ago describing them more fully.

I was rather late in getting up this morning - we all were late as the orderly corporal was [?] to turn us out at the proper time; rolling out at 6.30am. Then there was a fine old rush to breakfast, wash and [?] out on parade at 7.45 at the LG school. I managed to get there somehow. The morning we were doing tactical work having to select a [?] and camouflage ourselves to [?] less conspicuous from all points of view. On the whole it proved quite interesting and one can use a little ingenuity at the work which rather makes for a change. On the way back the officer, as little aside, gave us a short account of the battle that took place centuries ago on this ground and by a practical illustration as well of the importance of the proper care of arms.

I got back at 12 o/c to spend the afternoon in the billet reading and writing. Stuart and I had passes to come down to the town this evening as after tea we strolled over and made a few purchases and wrote a few letters in the YMCA tent. It is a delightful evening for a walk, sunshine and a nice cool breeze blowing.

I wish I was in position to get home tomorrow as I might have done at Wimbledon. Sunday is rather often to be a little dreary in a place like this as there are no parades, beyond the CP and nothing much to do unless the weather is very suitable when I might go for a swim.

We had a sing-song in the billet last night as everybody had some letters and parcels. They quite buck us up.

Stuart and I were talking about leave this evening and just thinking how grand it must be to feel you are in Blighty again; but aren't we ridiculous; we shan't have any leave this side of Christmas unless we are lucky.

Give my best wishes to you all,

from your very affectionate son

Bert xxxx