No. 49.
France 7/1/18

Dear Dad,

It is surely some time since I have heard from you, but suppose I will again begin to, if you keep as well as I hope.

I am afraid getting settled here, will take longer than we thought. This place has been built for some time, some say, as long ago as ’14 or ’15. It was never fully occupied, and by appearances, was vacated in a hurry, and consequently suffered. The surgical hut is piped for hot water heating, and not drained. I don’t believe there is a whole pipe or radiator in the whole hut. This will take time to replace of course.

Our huts are sectional and they are trying now to claim that we have lost an entire hut. Of course, one could be unbolted and taken away in an hour, but I don’t really think this has happened. We have nice little “emergency residences” of sand bags & mostly under ground, but haven’t had occasion to use them yet.

Altho this is a much better town than Boulogne, the jewelry stores here, cannot compare with the ones there. I am not sure, but this looks like a bigger town. Of course it may be that it is because Boulogne is a base & further back. The civil population, still carry on the stores, where there is enough of them left to carry on. I went in a “Pharmacie” the other day, there was no glass in doors or windows, and not a fixture in the store had a whole piece of glass in it. There was a good hole in the thick brick wall, and many holes in the wooden fixtures. Such is war - the owner was still “carrying on”.

I have not yet been able to locate Claire Denton, but still have hopes. A nice box of chocolates, arrived from Gert Bosworth the other day, another is on the way from Mae, and Bobbie sent me a peach of a box, two big cakes (about (9“in diameter), chocolates, cigarettes & a swell leather (alligator), letter case, containing letter opener, pencil, memo tab and a diary, removable when full, all leather & silk bind. I have had a pretty good bunch of things this year, everything considered.

We are having rather an easy time, and I am putting on weight, about 152 now, I will be glad tho when the winter weather is over, as it is rather very raw & cold or sloppy with mud. However “we should worry,” we are mighty well off right here.

Your affectionate son,
Worth.