Seaford Sussex May 12/18.
Dear Sister:
Received your letter of April 10th. You may send me newspapers or any thing you wish but I would prefer cigarettes or smoking tobacco. I am in the machine gun section have been here for a month. I like it here better than Bramshott we are on the sea it is a very beautiful spot. I have completed my training and expect to go to France any day. But always write because my mail goes where I go. I don't ever expect to come back alive for the average life of a machine gunner is very short. But if I ever get one shot at old Bill why good night. Tell Lulu to write to me I left $ 15.00 a month in her care we have to assign half pay when we came over seas. I want her to bank it for me. you tell her to bank half and send me the other half as soon as she get it it takes a month for a letter to reach me so you want to answer every week. Tell them all to write. For it is sure nice to get a letter over in this strange land. I get homesick 7 days a week you don't realize what it is you must remember that this is a hard life to go through. If some of those guys what was over there sleeping in a good bed and having a good time had to do this for a while why they would open their eyes. They charge us so much for tobacco that it is hard to get. The boys here get parcels every day from home so you see they come all right you want to make sure they are well packed and tied good. This is bad enough but France is sure Hell. The Huns are coming ahead every day now we expect to get them again soon but you know the Canadians are the boys to set them back a notch. I wrote Uncle Henry a letter but never got a letter yet. Tell May that her brother Jim is still in the infantry at Bramshott it is about 50 miles from here. Does she ever hear from him. Give her my best regards and Fred and George and all the dear little children. I wished I could only give little Marie a kiss to-night.
Where is Fred working is he back at Studebakers I hope he is doing good. I was glad to hear that you were back with those two children again. What ever you do be good to them. I try to write to some of you every week I want you to do the same, for I haven't got the time you have. And tell me more news, I just received you letter what you wrote to St. Thomas last Friday it got held up at London, England. But you may be sure I will get them all if you put my name and number on them. I guess this is all for now. When you write to Aunt Bell tell her to tell Annie to write to me, and give her my address. Say I was talking to a fellow who was in drive with Frank and Charlie Bolton. Charlie is in a hospital here in England and Frank went back to Canada he said Charlie was blowed 100 feet when a shell struck in Front of him Frank was only over here 4 months so he got his quick. so you can never tell, when you are going to get it. He has been to France twice and expects to go again I see him often he is from Springfield. The only people in civil life left over here is cripples and old men except those in training. I guess this is all for this time Good-Bye and a kiss to all
From
Pte E. Bolton
2356275
No 2 co.
C.M.G.D.
Seaford
Sussex
England
