20th April 1916
It’s Maundy Thursday and Arthur regrets not being able to send Dollie an Easter present; he is also anxious that the Pater should get his letter under ideal conditions and has fervent hopes for a favourable reply [concerning his desire to marry Dollie]; Dickie has sent him a letter and he has had an Easter parcel from the Mater & Pater – including cake, hankies and a chicken!
Arthur to Dollie
Maundy Thursday 6.30pm, France
… Happy Easter, lover mine; God bless you in every way. I wish that I could get an Easter present for you…I’ve these dear letters to thank you for – you are a darling…
Now let me get my news off my chest. First of all, I altered the letter to the Pater a bit & sent it off. I didn’t know what to do about addressing it to the office, for its Holy Week and I didn’t want him to get it at the beginning of next week because of the “Monday morning” feeling. So I’ve written to the Mater & Pater for Easter separate letters & enclosed the letter for the Pater in his Easter one. I feel sure that is the best, don’t you, dear. I’ll send you a copy of the letter as soon as I get the alterations made a little clearer in it.
The posts are rotten here now, dearest: for they have to be in at 5pm. We are on parade from 9.30 till 4 – with a break for lunch. At 4 there’s tea. So that there isn’t much time. I shall have to send these letters up to the Battalion – 1 ½ miles away.
I have had a letter from Dick and a parcel from the Mater & Pater – the latter with a cake, some handkerchiefs and an Easter chicken!
I’ll write more fully to-morrow, dear; its got rather late. So au revoir. God bless you, dear one. I pray hard for you always…