Item 20 - Letter from George to Ruth Mallory, 12 March 1917

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France on 'March 12 1917'

He was now over with the left half of the battery – north of the river once more. Was in an agreeable place in a deep little valley. Unfortunately, the wood had been utterly destroyed. Spring had arrived and the last of the mud was over. It was so warm he had had to take his coat off.

He liked being with the left half again. The Officer quarters were not much to boast off and the mess wasn’t water tight but they didn’t expect to be there for long. He was alone with Dunbar at present. Johnson was at the observation post and due back tonight. He had read some poetry to Dunbar from The Golden Treasury and he had liked Shelly but didn’t care much for Keats.

The air was full of hopes again as it had been before 1 July [1916] and he describes his views on the current state of the war.

Asks how she was managing the War Loan and their bank accounts and asks if she can see if the dividends are being paid regularly.