The Uncensored Letters of a Canteen Girl

A young canteen girl turns ordinary wartime paperwork into a vivid, unapologetically candid diary, recording every quirky detail of life behind the front lines. From the red‑tiled roofs of Bourmont to the comical escapades of engineers riding wheelbarrows up steep hills, her letters capture the mixture of humor, camaraderie, and the stark reality of serving the A.E.F. in 1917 France. She writes by candlelight in cramped billets, sharing the personalities of the Chaput family, the local gendarme she nicknames “G——,” and the lively banter of the soldiers she serves.

Presented as unsent letters kept safe from the watchful eyes of the censor, the narrative offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into a woman’s perspective on war—her observations are as sharp as they are affectionate, and her voice is both intimate and lively. Listeners will feel the clatter of trench cafés, the warmth of an oven‑lit kitchen, and the stubborn optimism that kept her—and those around her—going through each uncertain day.