Letters From the Front

21-8-18

Dear Folks at Home:-

Received your two letters July 14th & 22nd since last writing. Mrs Phillips' $2 certainly came in handy as we hadn't been paid for a month or so and in fact nearly everyone was like myself - broke.

The YMCA came in for a good share of the $2 as it was right up the line with us and carried a good supply of chocolate, canned fruit etc. which certainly broke the monotony of army rations.

I suppose the papers have been full of the work of the Canadians lately and that you all have been wondering how we are. I am thankful to say that Bill Euart Archie and I all got through all right. We lost Gerald Eedy who was instantly killed on Aug 9th by a machine gun bullet. We all feel his loss very keenly as he was a splendid fellow and everyone liked him.

Ernie Hammond who took sick about a month ago and was sent down the line, is now in a hospital in England. I am glad that he is out of France because he is rather delicate.

Tell Stanley that I received his welcome letter the other day and intend answering it soon. I am afraid that I am getting to be a very irregular correspondent as it keeps me bustling to write home once a week let alone answer letters to others.

I received a parcel from Women's Patriotic League last week for which I have already written to thank them. The shirt was certainly a welcome addition to my “wardrobe”as I hadn't had a change for some time and the one I was wearing was fairly “crawling away”¹.

I suppose Wells² will be starting to school again about the time you get this. I suppose that instead of being a Soldier of the Sail this vacation, that he has been a “Soldier of the Shop”.

If you find troubles getting sugar please don't strict yourselves to send it to me because we can get along without it although it certainly comes in handy sometimes. If you can get “canned heat” please send it along as something hot to drink has certainly cheered us up scores of times.

I hope you don't think that my list of wants from time to time is too big but I try to let you know what we would like best to help you in making up the parcels.

Must close now with heaps of love to all.

John