Letter to Mother from Somewhere in France

#782373
Somewhere in France
9-1-17[sic]

Dear Mother:–

I am planning on writing you Alice and Tiddy[sic] each a page I wrote Horace since I wrote them I beleave

Now there is three stages Action Rest billets and dug out between. Now I am lying in my bunk in dugout I have been shooting some with Lewis gun this A.M. Yesterday we were practicing bombing, in the P.M. I washed 3 pr of socks and a handkerchief.

Mother those botten socks will be all right for I never feel any thing like you speak of in the toes I have very good feet as far as them not bothering me goes I have lots of socks now there is not a hole in any of them. I have not written you for a few days but I don’t know things seem to dye down, when we get out here Just a Work party once in a while from dark to day light a matter of about 4 hours shoveling I think or else standing leaning on it or sitting down or lying some way to pass the time just enough work to keep warm my it an’t a bit hard work at all, they never compel a man to work in the army and the only time he will work is under shell fire with a pick and shovel he does it then tho. I never have had it yet tho. The pears and fruit or just getting ripe in some of the orchards not far from places we have been the boys have most of the stuff eaten before it is ripe maby.

You speak of Francis at the table and the boys fooling with him. Well the boys may be more satisfied than they were before I enlisted but they do not begin to appreciate life in the comfort they have it like they would if they had gone thru an experience similar to this, for you can’t by amagination place your self here and realize the change it will bring over you.

There is nothing I could compare it to that I would trade this experience of mine for, I thank God that he called me to this army life. If I never come thru if I live to realize I am dying, I won’t ever regret it at all.

Mother I would surely like to take you back to our old home again and spend time in the summer just take lots of time to go over it all again with you. no one knowes what Gods will will be yet and I do enjoy feeling that I am putting my entire trust in him If I don’t get back after the war you and Ted or Horace if he don’t marry will have to take the trip.

A year ago pickard never thot that Clifford would be following me in 15 months, I don’t think neither did Bob, English think Bob would he was very outspoken to me about my enlisting.

Well bye bye Mother the others are going so I will have to close

as ever your loving son
Laurie

Teddy’s letter will come later. L.