France
May 20, 1917.

Dearest:

I got your letter of the 16th yesterday and it made me homesick to picture you out there in Hounslow amid those old surroundings where we spent so many happy hours, you and I, and. Cupid. I don’t know what to think about the sea-shore as a place for a holiday. I’m strictly neutral and I leave it to you to decide. See if you can get any tips on places to go. There is Brighton of course and Folkestone and then there are smaller places. Bournemouth is delightful they say. Perhaps we had better split our holiday and spend the first part by the sea and the rest in town. What do you think about that?

The parcel containing cake, socks and handkerchiefs arrived yesterday. I am mighty glad to get toe socks and they are ever so comfortable too. Fancy wearing thick woollen socks in summer time. Two years ago I would never have believed I would ever do it but things have changed a lot in two years. I am going to write to the two Aunts to-day, Molly Bawn, give them all the news and thank them for those fine socks.

Yesterday we did a new stunt. Six of us were sent out to assist in an infantry attack. The attack was set for a certain time and promptly on the minute we were over the spot. On the very tick of the clock the guns opened fire and the "barrage" underneath us was something fierce. Shells came past us in the air on all sides and fell in a neat little row of white and black puffs just behind the German front line trenches. The idea of a "barrage" of course is to keep the enemy from sending up reinforcements from the rear. Then we saw our men go over the top of our trenches and charge. Then our work began for we were supposed to dive down on the Hun trenches, shoot down on them, drop bombs and try to put the wind up them to such an extent that they wouldn’t be able to pay much attention to the infantry attack. We had a whale of a time. How much good we did it is hard to say for the smoke was so thick, but anyhow the attack was successful and that part of the line was taken.

Was on another show in the evening leading a live patrol of four machines. At least there were supposed to be four, but every one of us had to return during the course of the show with engine trouble and get a new machine so that there were never more than two machines on the job at a time.

I certainly do miss old Duncan, both out of the hut and out of the machine. It is a fierce job going in with a green observer. I wonder if you have received the letter yet that I sent you telling you that he was going on leave and if you have met him yet. I envy him, the lucky devil, but the shoe will be on the other foot- and a little more so- when I go on leave.

Oh, yes, Molly Bawn, I'm quite all right now. Never had any trouble at all after leaving England. Guess it was nothing serious.

It seems funny that out of that great city of London, the hospital where you are located is just about five minutes walk from where I used to live. You turn at Charlwood St. and walk along to Belgrave Rd. and just around the corner is No. 63. By the way it’s sort of mysterious about Pete and Gyp, isn’t it? I think, seeing that Pete has my trunk and a whole lot of my belongings that he might have notified me of his change of address. I wrote to him about a month ago.

Must go to lunch now, Dear. Cheerio and good luck to you, little wife.

Always your loving husband