22 May 1919

Marcinelle
Charleroi
22/5/19

Dear Love,

Just arrived back this morning from our traveling court. Spent a day in Paris going and another coming back. Found everything there very dear. The place swarms with Americans and they are flashing their money about a lot. The French don’t like them over much but are quite willing to overcharge them for everything and while they’re about it, they overcharge us also, for instance breakfast costs 3/6. Lunch 7/6 to 10/- for dinner 15/- to 20/- according to what one chooses from the menu. A room costs 10/- to 15/- a day an if you don’t have at least two meals a day in the Hotel your room costs 5/- extra. Prices will probably come down when the Yanks go but we’ll all be all gone too.

A draft goes out tomorrow, after which we will have about 6 officers and 10 men in the Brigade. I am one of the six because we have still some court cases to clear up. I’ll be leaving for England tomorrow week, barring accidents and should leave there any time between the middle of July and the end of August arriving home about 6 weeks later - with luck so it is getting quite close to my homecoming again. I received another bundle of mail today up to the 2nd April also one from Mum and another from Lottie Webster, a Sunday school pupil of mine at Tamworth.

I was glad to hear about that Starr-Bowkett draw. It will certainly come in handy for Percy and Dorothy and a house, free from rent will be very useful to them to start with. I hope ours comes along soon too. As to what we’ll do with it, well we had better wait and see what is best when we get it. You see it would be possible to biuld a place with it & either sell or let it. Then again the Gov’t will lend to Returned Soldiers amounts up to £700 to buy houses with. I propose to take advantage of this offer also and working from this small beginning, eventually get together a nice little income from houses and land in addition to my own earnings. By the way, have you insured “The Haven”? Sweetheart. I’m becoming quite a money-grubber am I not? However, it is all for you and the little ones we hope to have in the not too distant future. God grant that it may be soon and that our dearest hopes and wishes may be realized. With all my love Yours only & ever Viv.

Sidebar top left first page: Am very glad to know you are getting on so well with Mary

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