Belgium.
Nov 29/1918.
My Dear Mother:
It really is only a few days since I last wrote but so much has happened in those few days that if I am going to even out-line the various events I can see where you are in for a long letter.
Before mentioning anything else I must first tell about one of the biggest events and that is the arrival of two letters from you and two from Lorene. as well as a large supply of American letters. Even in these days of most interesting events we all look forward to the mail delivery as the biggest event of the day. - Just as much as we always did.
With the exception of a few post-cards sent from "Wavre" district the last letter was written in Waterloo in which I tried to tell a little about the place and also my trip to Brussels.
Next morning we started on the road again and went about fourteen miles through the town of ‘Wavre' and billitted in a small village East of there Wavre was only an ordinary town with no buildings of particular note. The village in which we stayed was very small called ‘Dion le Mont'. We had the mess in the priest's house and I slept in another place down the road. The old lady in this house was a most motherly sort and had a fire going in my room mostly all day long. She insisted on doing some laundry for me and when I offered to pay for it was almost unsettled. - Not very often a person runs across anyone like that over here.
On Wednesday we marched another seven or eight miles to another small village called. ‘Sart Risbart'. Here we lived in a convent. In a previous letter I mentioned how well the men had been treated in convents but here the nuns belonged to the Dominician Order and were kept well locked up so we had no exceptional welcome here but were quite comfortable indeed. - I had thought of buying some lace as a souvenir and when I priced a most elegant piece of work which I thought would be worth while taking home the price was $12500 so I almost ordered half a dozen.
Next morning we moved on to another small town called ‘Branchon.' Here we stayed in a most huge chateau In fact I would say it was a small palace. It was the home of a Belgian Count, before the war, but the Bosche took nearly every thing portable about the place when he decided to go back to Germany. Once upon a time it must have been a most wonderful place. The house situated in a small park, was a huge white place of colonial architecture The rooms inside were most immense and about fifty in number. The mural decorations were most marvellous although somewhat scratched and scarred by the Bosche. What furniture remained was exceptionally elaborate. For example my medical reception-room was furnished in white Louis XIV furniture.
Today we came on to this village called ‘Marneffe' near Huy, S.W. of Liege. It is just an ordinary Belgian country village but in a most wonderful situation on top of a hill looking down along the beautifully wooded valley towards the Meuse.
you will realize we have been somewhat busy. Lately I have marched every foot of the way because I want the exercise and again it is rather cold to ride.
Was certainly sorry to hear about Ernie Crossland. It seems such hard luck after him being so long overseas. The Flu certainly must have been mighty serious in Toronto I do hope you people have kept clear of it.
My mail seems to have been going wild. Maryon says she isnt receiving anything like the number I write either: of course that was particularily noticeable in the lot written during the big advance. I hope they are doing better now
I must mention also that this letter paper is some I received last night in a parcel from Zion Church with a pair of socks. The parcel was most acceptable indeed. Paper is very scarce since we started on the grand ‘Trek' In fact it is unobtainable and I have only a few sheets left. I am hoping to find some in some of the larger towns.
Toronto has certainly done wonderfully well with the war loan. I see by tonight's papers the tremenduous percentage of munitions Canada supplied the British armies with. It surely looks remarkably good to me.
Charlie Mooneys kit should be on the way to Canada long before this. If I should have an opportunity of being near his unit I will make every effort to see that it has been sent or bring it myself.
Am glad you received my cable but it certainly was long enough getting there. I sent it express and it seems to have taken three days to get through.
It is terribly sad about Mrs Harry Fisher. The Flu around Toronto must have been of the most virulent variety.
There are thousands of details I can leave to tell when I get home. Thank the Zion people very much for the parcel for me. I will hope to find some more paper tomorrow or next day to write another letter.
Most Lovingly
Charlie
