France 20th May, 1918.  

Dear Auntie,

Yesterday's mail brought me another letter from you. Earlier this evening, I wrote to mother, but am now more fortunate with both paper and pen. The stationery is borrowed and I have just recovered the pen from one those fellows who can't remember to return borrowed property.

To be consistent, then, I must be very careful about returning what remains of this writing tablet.

I am proud to report that I milked no less than two cows tonight [all they would allow me] and was rewarded with a bowl of it in its warm condition, a beverage which I used to help down a hard-tack biscuit. If you see Clarence, tell him I have just been talking to Ray Smith, who is assist. adjutant in some battalion. He came over to arrange a baseball-game with our team, which has been very successful thus far this season.

I sit writing in a huge barn, otherwise a billet. If we had to spend all our spare time here we should not be at all content with its condition. All the furniture we have is the ground with some very dusty chaff upon it. It serves very well for sleeping, however, and the place is airy enough with its great double doors open. The nights are moonlight and lovely now. It is no longer necessary to get up in the morning to put on one's clothes between shivers. We have at our door a church over three hundred years old. I stepped inside this evening just to gratify my vulgar curiosity. It is a cheerful enough place with whitened walls decorated with many sacred paintings. A couple of aged people were engaged in devotions in the rear whilst an old priest was hearing a small party of children recite their catechism.

Hoping to hear from you again soon, I must close now.

With much love,

Cecil.