NZIBD
France
10/11/17
Dear Ethel
I have to thank you for sending me your New Zealand letters that reached me with your note enclosed and at the same time I must thank you for that very acceptable birthday parcel sent from Badsey. With three brothers to think of in the matter of letters and parcels it is good of you all to do what you have done for me. ? I am very comfortably situated, even for men who are employed at the base where conditions are different altogether to what prevails in camps and billets nearer the lines.
I think I have told you that I shall probably come across to England next month. The men with whom I should have left here (if I had not offered to remain) went off yesterday morning in great spirits at the prospect of seeing food in England again. Some of these men have served in Egypt and Gallipoli and left New Zealand at the commencement of the war. Isn't it a pity that Italy has collapsed so completely. We have the whip hand on our own front and in the east and if Russia and Italy could only have held their own it would have made all the difference in the world.
My letters from home contain good news of mother and the girls. Francis was anticipating a trip to the North. He used to go south as a rule for his holiday but latterly he has found the cold too severe so early in the year.
The weather has not been particularly cold yet though I see that there have been falls of snow elsewhere. I have not decided what I shall do when I come to England but first I shall have to get all the leave possible. I shall probably go to Torquay from here. I think my first visit will have to be to Aunt Lottie and if opportunity permits I want to see a great deal more of England than I have already seen.
Good wishes to all and again many thanks for the parcel and greetings.
From your affectionate cousin
Bernard Sladden
