Somewhere in France
4/7/17

My Dearest

I was delighted to receive your nice parcel yesterday also the letter written two days later. Thank you so much Dearest. I got a letter from Mother at the same time reminding me that I have not written to Annie for several months. I really feel ashamed of myself for being so slack. I expect she will be quite offended with me, but I will surely write at the first opportunity.

Well Dearest my easy time has come to an end at last & I have had to say good-bye to my soft job. I knew they would not keep two of us from No. 1 Sec. very long & the other fellow has been here ever since the Column came out, and naturally I was the one to go.

At present I am in the Officers mess, but it is only for the time being, while one of the fellows is away on leave (lucky beggar) I don't expect to stay on after he returns, in fact I am not sure that I would care to. It is not exactly my choice of a job, but you can't be too particular over here.

Isn't it great to see the Russians into it again? If only they will stay right with it, our hopes of being home by Xmas may be realized after all. I've a kind of an idea (as they say in Canada "I've got a hunch") that this war will come to an end much sooner than a good many people seem to think. Won't it be lovely if we can be all together at Xmas, and to know the wretched thing is all done with?

Oh my Dearest I do wish we could be certain that that would come true, I am as anxious to be back with you, it seems such an awful long time since I came away. It is pretty hard sometimes not to get down-hearted. If it was not for looking forward to the future it would sure be a miserable time over here.

Well Dearest I will say Good-night.

Lots & lots of love & xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
from Yours only & forever
Fred

P.S. Hope you will excuse this paper, it is the only stuff I can get, F.