France
6/10/17

My Dearest

I was more than delighted to receive two of your precious letters this evening, you don't know how much they have cheered me up. I feel amply repaid for waiting when two letters came at the same time, but I don't understand why they should be so long on the way. From the time I left you I was only 2 days before reaching the Battery. They don't seem to realize how very important a soldier's mail is.

Dearest it is now Sunday morning, we have just come in from Church. They had the service in a large tent & it was terribly cold. We put our time back an hour last night, so that gave us an extra hour in bed. It suited me fine, for you know how I like to sleep in the morning.

We had a lot of rain yesterday & during last night, it has made the ground awfully sticky. I suppose we must not expect much more summer weather, if once it gets real muddy at this time of year the ground will never really dry up until the spring.

There is more good news in the paper this morning, they seem to be going right ahead in Flanders. Oh I do wish we could drive them right back to the German frontier, but personally I don't mind very much whether we drive them back at all. If only they would bring it to an end right where we are now I should be quite satisfied. Perhaps it is un-patriotic to think or say such a thing, but I don't care very much how or where it finishes, so long as it does finish quick. I am sick & tired of it all, & so is everyone else, we are absolutely fed up with the whole senseless business.

It will soon be three years since I joined up, & you know that is a long time to take out of one's life, for I shall always consider it as 3 years wasted & completely lost. When you look at it in that light it is rather a serious matter.

I hope your star-gazing man is right in his predictions, & you know somehow I can't help thinking that this will be the last year of the war. Of course we all thought the same thing a year ago, but now there seems to be a different & altogether more hopeful outlook. The huns have not won what might be called a victory since the beginning of 1916, on the western front at any rate. They must be appreciably weakening while we are getting stronger all the time. And very soon I expect the Americans will be into it, & that should make quite a big difference. Yes I can think the enemy must be just about on his last legs, I don't see how he can possibly hold out much longer.

But in the meantime we are here & I don't know for exactly how long, & we cannot get away. That is what makes it so aggravating & disheartening, when all the time I long to be with you Dearest more than anything else in the world.

Nearly always I am trying to imagine where you are and what you are doing, my thoughts are more often with you than over here. My Darling I do want so much to be with you always. I cannot tell you how hard it was to have to leave you again. Dearest I love you more than I can ever express mysel in words & do eagerly look forward to the time when I can be with you always.

I am so sorry that Jack had a row at the works, I hope he will soon get somewhere else and not have to join up, but if he does have to join I think he would like the R.N.A.S. better than any other branch of the service. Was Rosa offended that you did not call when we stayed off at York? I don't suppose she has grown any bigger since I saw her. Well Dearest I will ring off for the present, you must be terribly bored. I never seem to be able to write the things that I would like. I am feeling fine except that I miss you so much. Hope you are quite well Dearest.

Au revoir, my Darling
Lots & lots & lots of love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
from Yours only & forever
Fred

P.S. I forgot to thank you for sending the blue cloth that I forgot to bring. I wish I could bring my coat over so that you could stitch it on for me. xxxxxx F.