Letter to Mother from Somewhere in France

#782373
S.W. in  France
13-12-17

Dear Mother:–

Supper is over and I have just eaten two apples I got a lads supper for him he has been off his feed for several days, I spent most of P.M. in cleaning up so I will be ready for any inspection that may come off in the near future.

I shave once a day always clean and shine my boots twice a day before each parade. I have got so used to being clean shaven that I look very dirty if I have 36 hours growth on my face and that you can hardly see, I took my leather buttons down from my tunic for this rest and put the big canadian buttons on it off of my over coat, when we pull up the line again I will put my leather buttons on, We get new shoes just as soon as there is any complaint at all and we are kept in good clothing continualy better clothing than when in England, we have no complaints to make at all on any thing, if a man realizes that there is a war on and that he has volunteered to give his services he should feel that we are being used great.

I an't a bit more tired of this old war than the day I hit France as long as it has to last I am going to make it my cheerful duty to do my bit as I see it each day.

If Ted was going to join a lodge I am glad he joined the first night you can easy guess why. I am going to go to the canteen now.

I bot a franks worth of apples before supper got 20 and treated about a dozen of the boys billeted with me and the folks of the house, all of the boys are broak now, and that just left me with the two shin plasters and 5¢ in coppers

I had my fourth bath this A.M. between 9 and 10 O.K. which was fine we are all cleaned up from lice now so I will make a try to stay that way as long as I can they have realy bothered me very little so far,

All the women here have pockets in there dresses and carry money and a lot of keys, they keep there dresser drawers and cubbords all locked, I don't know whether they do the same when we are not here, but there is not many boys with use that they need to watch.

I went to the canteen a minuite ago and bot a can of that thick sweet evaporated milk all so some chocolate I got 50¢ for the shin plasters the milk costs 30¢ a can but us soldiers seen crazy about it, how much does those cans cost at home now.

14th   6.10 P.M.

Well Mother I received three letters tonight Teds, Kates, and yours I surely enjoyed them all, and then a roll of papers that Farmers Advocate was the biggest treat I have had for an untold length of time,

Dan Griffin is sick and Abram never reads but likes to listen so I read the ranch story to them and then I road the matador story after, I will enjoy a few days and evenings on the rest of the papers. some of the pictures well make me feel like my old life was closer, but it may not be, I am quite sure that more fighting is coming nearer any way.

I can't quite "compre" the amount that cananea is coming across with, it is fine. it should help to win the war all right

15th 2.30 P.M.

Bye bye Mother dear
as ever your loving son Laurie