Somewhere in France Friday August 16th My Dear Father & Mother - Well it is a long time since I have written you a letter but as you already know we have been pretty busy chasing Fritz this last week & I did not write, just sent you a card during the advance. I got three letters from you during the first part of the week & a parcel the letters were written July 6th, 8th & 16th respectively. The parcel arrived in good shape & every thing was lovely in it. I enjoyed the butter & cake immensly - but I would sooner have home-made cake? I am glad to hear that you had such a good trip up North - it makes me kind of homesick every time I get one of your letters telling me of your trips all the places you mention are so familiar to me yet, that I can just immagine taking the car round every corner on the Soda Creek hill or any other hill in the Caribou. I had a long letter from John a couple of days ago, he was giving me his plans for leave. He aught to have a pretty good time on leave. I have not been able to see Robert at all as we have never been near the 8th Div-Inf. since he came over. I met a 13th Officer about a month ago & I asked him about Robert he said he was still O.K. have not heard of him since the (?) though. I was very much surprised at what John told you of the Officers in Whitley he is the very first man I ever heard that spoke that way of them he must have a "stand-in". That is scary about Bob Barlow sending home those copper cups made from the nose cap of a shell - he might have got it off damaged ammunition (a (?) being hit) or one of our own shells which had a "premature" & (?) at the muzzel of the gun when a shell bursts the fuse is usually blown off - intact. Are you sure it was not a German broad arrow - I have seen marks on their stuff like this __ (?) (?) (?) Bob is a batman at - Brigade H.Q. now & never sees a jam in action - his duties are like a (?) porters - shine boots, polish buttons, fetch shaving water & making beds - some job for anyone who calls himself a man. I had two long letters from Jean the other day, she was telling me that her mother had been to see her - she has changed her boarding home & likes the new one fine - I guess the first one was a pretty tough joint - she told me there were lots of "bed-bugs" in it! I guess John de Pencier is doing well in flying Corps - well I wish him luck but give me the solid ground & I don't care who knows it. John will change his tune about the Y.M.C.A. when he gets out here - I admit some of them are punk in England as all their Can. goods goes to the firing line which is perfectly right - but they do their best for us out here - fun picture shows & concerts in the winter. I tell you when we are on the the move & cannot get a Y.M.C.A. the boys are usually pretty hungary because for some reason or other they always manage to half starve a man when we are on the march. I had to leave that helmet behind last spring when we were taken away from (?), driving the German advance we got a hurry up move that trip and fired it away - never mind I will get a better one for you. I took the one I was telling you about off a dead German up on the crest of Hill 70 - he had been killed in a raid the night before. I have a German Gass mask which I am going to send immediately - try it on it is perfectly save & won't blow up!!! We are having awful hot weather here now - but there is no complaint as it is better than rain. August 17th I went to bed last night & did not finish your letter - but it was not for long, I was hauled out at 1;20 A.M. & had to go out on the job with my team - did not get back till 3.30 this afternoon - tired as the d__ but feel fine now; just had a wash & shave, & a fine supper, it is about the best one I have had since last Xmas - a big piece of steak, gravy, new potatoes, two pieces of bread (size of one of your round loaves) strawberry jam & two dough-nuts - all from the cook house- now wasn't that some feed? I feel like a new man. I forgot to say that the last R. Cross parcel arrived O.K. & it was very nice - that solidified (?) which you sent is very very useful & I think it would be a very good idea to keep it up especially as the winter will soon be comming on - I am going to mention it in my letters to them. Say papa when I gave the pipes to May to take home with her I locked the case & kept the key - on account of kids & ect. well I put it in a Bull-Durham sack in the bottom of my haversack intending to keep it in case I got to Blighty before May went home to Canada so that I could put a bayonet or two in the case for you - well I have discovered lately that I have lost it - must have pulled it out with towel or something [end of letter missing]