Letter from Maud Emsley, Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, to her mother 2 April 1919

Emsley was still in France when she wrote the letter. It reads:

'You must excuse me for not telling you how I enjoyed the parcel which arrived quite safely. I mean the one containing the chocolates and biscuits. I thought these cards would be interesting as they show the village we are in evidently in summer time when it looks nicer than it does at the present time. It is awfully cold in the mornings now, quite warm at noon but very cold in the/evenings. I don't worry as I have plenty of warm clothes.

Yesterday Jerry and I walked 6 miles along the canal to Epagnette and had tea at a small cafe there, after which we walked back to town. We then met the boys who took us on/ the tender (pick-up truck) to St Ricquiee, a village not far from Abbeville. Whilst the five of us were walking down the main street a staff captain, wearing plenty of red on his cap, stopped one of the boys and gave him a very severe lecture for not saluting. Isn't it absurd having all this red tape when the war is over. Some of the girls went to Amiens by train, but they only got a few hours there.

'Postcard no. 1 shows the chateau at the bottom of the hill leading to the camp which is on the road to the left, and we march on the road to the right to get to the depot, all these cards are of Rouvroy which is the village adjoining/ Mautort. Postcard no 2 shows the road going on to the back of the camp and leads to Caubert, it's a lovely walk when the weather is nice when we can get up the hills onto the top road by the camp.

Postcard no 3 shows the main street of Rouvroy on the left of which are the/rope works of Saint Freres, in which our depot was situated, previous to our sojourn in Calais. Further down the road can be seen the church which looks very pretty from the outside. Note the rubbish heaps and pools of water on the road. I should think this description reminds you of a lantern slide lecture doesn't it. At present all applications for discharge from a certain date are being refused, because of the amount of work. When the Rhine convoy gets away we shall see what it is to be done with us. Don't worry too much, I'll get home as soon as ever it is possible. If you could only know what pretty things we get CB for, you would laugh heartily, as we do when we get CB. I generally am merry and bright. Well, I must conclude now with best love to you and dad and all from your loving daughter Maud.

PS Are all the others too busy to write. I have received very few letters from them since I came back from leave over 3 months ago.

From a collection of papers of Maud Lilian Emsley, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, 1917-1932.