No 60.
France
8/3/18

My Dear Mater

I suppose you will be blessing me, for not having written before, but have a really good excuse. Of course the usual month end returns had to be made out, and they were more than usual. I worked every night from the 28^th on. Till nine or ten, always trying to get out for an hour’s walk right after tea, however I finished up last night & got a couple of watches fixed up to boot. It is very hard to get a watch fixed over here, and so many of the boys were at me to fix theirs for them, that I got a few tools, and have a bench fixed up out of a margarine box. I will have some time, believe me.

I was mighty glad to get your letter of Feb 15^th, at noon to-day, as we have had no mail for some time, I got a letter from Floss and two parcels from Bobbie. I have had no other parcels for quite a while, but from your letter, I should have some before long.

We have had a pretty good month here, for the past month, in every way. I have not hard work, but it is very steady & it is quite impossible for me to get away before 5 P.M., altho sometimes I can get out 

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in Canada, they are as cheap as we can get them. Again, it is quite impossible to get Turkish over here, & often the boys are without money. There is an issue weekly of 40 cigaretts & a box of matches, but they are rotten ones.

About our bed linen, etc. While in Eastbourne we unpacked and used a good deal of it, but two or three hundred cases were left & we sent them up to London, to be sent with our other things, but they collared them. Then, after we were pretty well settled, up they all came, for which we were truly thankful. They contain towels, bed linen, bandages, etc. Our huts are not ready yet, so we are still in beds, it will only last another week or so now. 

I got some [?] and paper, and am putting a nice top on my table. We have had blankets on & from the dust & dirt (soft coal) they get terribly dirty. I will have a nice table tho. 

Terribly sorry you have been in bed, but trust by this time you are O.K. I have had a bad cold for the past week, but practically all gone now, as I don’t find as much trouble in throwing them off, as I did. I think being outside – or nearly outside has done me a great deal of good that way.

Yes, I hope our parcels are not cut off, but if they are, it is on account of “tonnage” and we can only bow to it.

Alex Toogood is one phool, what I mean, for coming back to England or France. He could surely have stayed there in some capacity. 

Love to all, & hope you are well. Your loving son,
Worth.