17th August 1916
The hot weather has turned to rain – on both sides of the channel: Dollie’s recent boating party was rained on, and Arthur is glad they are not in the front line at the moment. Arthur asks Dollie what she would like for her birthday – but warns her that his shopping opportunities are rather limited!
Arthur to Dollie
Thurs. 4 pm
Thanks awfully for your card of Sunday & Monday’s letter. It was sweet & thoughtful of you to have written after you came in… You must have been tired. I am sorry the rain didn’t keep off – sun is one of the imperative necessities of the river, isn’t it dear. The weather here to-day is very cloudy & it simply poured about an hour ago. Thank heaven we are not actually “in”.
Darling what would you like for your birthday. Will you choose something & let me know. We seem to have been out of civilisation for a bit & I’ve scarcely looked at a paper & catalogues are nil…
There has not been much doing since last night. The usual working parties. To-morrow there is talk of a move further back, but we hav’n’t had any orders yet, so must wait & see. Only the mails may change again: I don’t know.
I’m just longing to get home … It all seems too wonderful that, please God, our dreams are to come true at last…