France

August 19^th 1916

My dear Ethel,

Thank you for your letter of last Sunday.  I am afraid the Worcester men had not travelled to any alarming extent.  I do hope you will get to use the place but for goodness sake don’t become dowdy as well.  I don’t think you will of course.  I have just been advised to warn you to make enquiries as to whether your house stands a chance of being flooded as the river rises sometimes.  What is the cathedral like?  Your next letter will give me all particulars I expect.  Now for a little off my own bat.  Owing to something of a rush my letter to Harry could not go till yesterday.  We have been busy lately & have come some little distance from the trenches for a considerable time I think.  There is a big town near our billets, which are barns, with plenty of shops.  We went in last night & had some of the best wine (port) we have ever tasted & some very nice pastry.  There is a beautiful church there but we must go in the daytime as the interior was not very distinct in the dusk.  It contains a scrumptious altar and organ & any amount of beautiful paintings.  All the windows are of the same style.  There is none of the gawdiness of the village churches.  The prie-dieus (chairs) are all the same & the panelling is rather sombre.  I don’t think much of the pulpit, which is thoroughly continental.  We are hoping, two or three of us, of going to a service tomorrow called High Mass but I fear a route march will clash with our intention.  Our barn is the best we have ever been in & is quite clean & rain proof.  The farmhouse is the cleanest we have seen also.  The country is beautiful in this neighbourhood.  The hops are in bloom or whatever their condition of bearing hops is called & the plants cover all the poles & wires & hide them.  Hop plants are dark, the hops are light green and they set off well against the cornfields.  Half of each cornfield is cut & the wheat put in sheaves and stubble.  A field containing growing wheat, sheaves and stubble is a picture.  There are any amount of thatched buildings & barns with roofs of red tiles.  In the distance can be seen the tops of the town’s towers, steeples &c which bring back the pictures of fairy yarns.  The avenues of trees are plentiful and every pond is surrounded with willows.  Two prisoners German officers, were marched through this town & they appeared remarkably joyful.  Oh! there is a picture house there showing Mr Charles Chaplin.  It is nearly time to take in letters & it is time for tea, so I will close, remaining

            Yours affectionately,

                        Alan,

I think I had better address this to Harry.

Envelope addressed For Ethel, Ans August 27^th 1916.