40th letter Postal Sector 97
My dear Emma,
We are back in France. We crossed the border again this morning. Everywhere is covered with snow. The road was like real ice on the side of the mountain facing the North. This made walking difficult.
Yesterday we changed camps and we were housed in a weaving factory which is currently abandoned. I admired how carefully it was installed, especially for the well-being of the workers. To preserve or heat up our meals, there are large cast iron hot plates which are heated by steam. The apartments, which were previously workshops, are heated as well. There are shower-baths as well. I also noticed that in the villages they have done a lot for the convenience of the water. They have installed water tanks everywhere, this means that, on the main street there is enough for each family to wash up. As you see I am sending you a card that is not French. Deutsches means German. The owner of the house where I stayed for about 15 days absolutely wanted to give me a souvenir. I don’t think that you can understand the writing. I only know a few words myself. I put a “+” to mark the house where I stayed. On the bottom to the left was where a part of my section was housed.
I kiss you tenderly,
Reymond
My dear little wife,
I am going to continue to chat with you for a moment longer. If only I could talk to you in person, there would be so many things I would have to tell you. I think that you would be bored because I would oblige you to respond.
In the village where I just arrived, and which is only a few kilometers from the border, I am being lodged by a few old-timers who immediately offered me a bed. Everywhere in these parts there was only high praises for the people. You see that you do not have to worry yourself about me. Yet I long to hear from you. It is quite a long time now that I have not received anything from you, about 5 or 6 days. Are you sick, because I know that the letters are not getting lost? Are you upset darling, or are you discouraged?
It is true that I am very demanding and I want to receive letters often. Even though I say all of this to you, you do not need to tire yourself out writing to me. I am going to put one or two of your previous letters in this envelope. I think you will receive all of them. If I have time, and God willing, I will write to you again tomorrow. Give my regards to all our friends and kiss your parents for me.
Please forgive me for not writing a much longer letter to you.
Goodbye my dear, may God bless you and keep you, I kiss you very tenderly on both cheeks.
Your husband,
Reymond
P.S. Kiss our little Georges very strongly for me.
My Dearest Emma 