From: Somewhere in France
Sat., 14 Apr. 1917

Dearest Mother -

Did you get that field service post card I sent last week? They are very handy because one can't say much of interest if one does write and it is rather difficult to find a good place to write. However, I mustn't send too many cards in place of letters. I am glad I didn't have you change my address in the letter I wrote a couple of weeks ago as two or three days afterwards, that was no longer my address. I and another fellow were transferred back to our old sub in the battery which is attached in section to batteries here. My address now is - 6th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery (write in full), B.E.F., France.

On Apr. 3, I received some mail, the first for almost exactly one month - six letters - yours of Feb. 15 which is the next of yours I should have received, one from J.S. (Feb. 14), Gladys (Feb. 17), cousin Grace (Feb. 13), Wilbert Purvis (Feb. 18) and Evelyn (Feb. 21). You can tell Aunt Bertha I received Evelyn's letter OK. Three or four days later, I received one from Joe Greig and have received none since. I don't know where Joe is but have made enquiries and so guess it cannot be very near.

I keep in pretty good health and have been all right in every way so far. It is, for the most part rather miserable weather, being cold at nights with lots of rain and snow. This makes a regular sea of mud and with horses around, it is kept in a rather gluey condition. Mostly, our food is pretty fair, but there are times, of course, when we have to live on what is called iron rations - canned meats and hard tack. You will no more know about how war is going on than I do, but from rumours, things are very encouraging.

A few fair sunny days scattered among the foul makes things bright and quickly dries up the mud. There are oceans of things I would like to tell but, they will have to keep. How did you folks enjoy Easter at home? Were they all back home? Here we carried on as usual with no change - did not even have an opportunity of attending some service on Sunday. Sun. night, I was able to buy two or three fried eggs as a little treat. Best of love to everyone.
Yours affectionately,
R.G. Brown