Letter to Mother from Somewhere in France
#782373
S.W. in France
4–12–17
Dear Mother:–
It has frozen up over here now and the dandiest fall day and clear I never expected any such weather. Especialy in war times and after war tales I had heard of how wet it was in France.
I was brot up in front of our Captain with three other boys this A.M. for being absent on parade yesterday A.M. Just a misunderstanding on my part, I was let off with a severe talking to which is far preferable to C.B. I was up once in Canada and once in England this makes the third time in twenty months soldiering. It don't seem that long since I left for Moose Jaw with Ted, Alice, Elmer. And I can hardly realize that there is all the miles and miles of sea between use and days on train over so many miles of land. On the other hand I can hardly realize that I am a soldier serving in the C.E.F. in France in that European war we read and heard so much about before I enlisted, I am one of those millions who wear the Khakie and go in and out among the big shells no one know how he can live for months among them and not have one tutch him.
I took a march out about a mile and a half to the ranges this A.M. the band played for use it was fine I only had belt and small P.H. helmet. the other boys had battle marching order then three of use S.B. came back to our lecture at 9 A.M. We had a good lecture by our Doctor The miners have two day holidays now today and tomorrow. bear is drank in these homes just like tea at home. The little boys who are old enough to walk out onto the street and pick up cigarette stubs all smoke when we get a few minuits rest and the boys light the cigarette the boys cluster round and watch where the stubs are thrown and pick them up out of any spot and smoke them it is pitiable to see them.
Thousands of girls work in mines day after day for life I guess other girls work and are gradually killing them selves on farms, they have to do so much or starve I guess, and I think a girl that weighs 90 lbs has two carry two pails of water I would hate have to and water big strings of cows pigs and etc. I have got hard hearted since I left home, I seldom now stop to fool with a little child or give it a penny why, I have slipped out of a canteen in a city and started to take a bite off of a piece of toffee I was surrounded by kids with there hands out asking for candy in French and making such a row that I felt I was drawing so mutch attention that I took the toffee out of my mouth with out ever getting the bite and gave it to the bunch so they would get away from me and settle who of them should have it Amagine conditions like that out home. The kids an't hungry but they are ferocious beggars all the way I have come in the place I first hit two I won't here mention the country by name The only difference is they talked English and these kids mixe it.
If leave an't cut off and every thing runs as in past the time will slip around great and the warm days will be here again and we will be sleeping in our good warm funk holes. off coarse they are chilly these days I suppose about the same as the last trip I went up we had a few white frosts that trip But look where a man has the deep dug out like I have been in in my past experiences why the cold weather won't bother any at all when you can go down untill you are shell proof it won't be very cold, it is fun to take that kind away from heinie and the good old trenches with the duck walks in thats the part to soldier in but we an't asking for those parts always we expect to take our share of the rough stuff but it is great to think that you have done your bit and can look back at the poluted shell redden country without a trench for miles and shells combing it every hour of the day and night. but what the poor heinie is getting well man can't stretch his amagination enough to half get what he has to face. When shells are going over so thick you can trace them by the sparks from them rubbing sides, they are sure thick te. he.
I am going to buy some onions to fry here I can use the frying pan and I will get some suet to fry them in. All the canadian people have to have gass masks for fear gass might be put over any time. They conditions seem strong for cuutions[sic] don't they.
bye bye
Laurie