Third Army Artillery School,
B.E.F. France.

April 8th 1917

Dear Nen:-

As yet we haven't started work yet in earnest, but tomorrow we take the plunge. We went to church this morning to a Church of England service, there was a piano but no one could play so some of the hymns went rather flat I expect.

As I told Dad in my last letter we are in a fine place with beds. I had a bath this morning and it sure was coming to me after 9 days without one 4 of which I never had my clothes off. There are 6 barrels cut in two and these are the baths. If you sit down your knees touch your chin and you nearly break your toes against the side.

Although we are so far behind the lines you can hear the guns quite plainly at night and they sure are "strafing" some. We don't bother looking up now when we hear an aeroplane they are so common and believe me they sure do go some. We were out for a walk the other day and the motors and motorcycles passed us like streaks. You'd hardly believe it if you saw the number of motor trucks going up full and coming back empty.

A lot of fellows are coming back from the front to take our course so we can get a good idea of what we're going to and they all say it's allright after the first week or two. However, I don't want to get up there before I know my job.

I sure am sore about the address I gave as Ella's letter of Feb.15th was the only one I've got. I suppose you've all written since then and all the other fellows have each had over 30 letters each.

We had an hour of P.T. yesterday and believe me we were put through it. I'm all stiff this morning from it. We're going for a ride this afternoon if we can get horses so we'll be stiffer in the morning.

I wrote Aunt Ida the other day and hope it will put some guts into Shirley & Melville.

Well, Nen, must break off for lunch. Love to all.

Bev.