July 8th 1917
Dear Mither & Dad

I was delighted last evening when the mail came round to get a letter from each of you, one from Emmie, One from Walter Coates who is Leiut. Coates now, Also one from Ida so I got lots of news though some of it was very disconnected, probably owing to some letter failing to reach me as yet. Dad said something about James Bros. building a brick building where the poolroom was burned down again. Now I heard nothing of the fire & Im sure some of you must have written about it. Then Mother you said that Dad had received $3 per day while he was in Regina. Now I never even new he was in Regina & I never heard about the big extension they are putting on the school until I got it in Mrs. Grahams letter & then in Dads last night. I expect letters will flow in upon me one of these fine days when I begin to feel a bit blue which is an almost impossible state in here for everyone is very cheery & bright and if one did try to be blue he would have everyone else in the ward chaffing & making fun of him. I always thought a hospital a very quiet gloomy place but with the exception of one or two very bad cases we are the noisyest bunch you ever set eyes on. Sometimes you can hardly hear yourself think for the fellows singing. Then when the bell goes for the meals you should hear them yell. Almost so loud as they do in going after Fritz. They teach us to go after him with a yell but thats as far as its going for it is to grim an affair to do any shouting over the night we went over hardly a man spoke above a whisper except when he fell into a shell hole or was knocked down by the shock of a shell exploding. I will never forget that night as long as I live. It was almost as light as day that night with exploding shells flares flying etc. The wonderful part of it all is that we just walked through the same as we would through a rainstorm & much less discomfort at the time. One never gives a thought to the danger they are in as long as they keep moving or working. After we had gained our objective we had our trench to dig which kept us busy the rest of the night. Robin Dick was in the same lot as I was going over & was not more than a few yds away from me all day. I saw him after I was hit just for a second for he being one of the few who were not hit he had to keep going. I was surprised when your letter was dated June the 11th that you had not heard from the Govt about my accident as I was wounded on June 3rd where the Canadians got such a heavy scrap. I thought you would have had the news much quicker. However I am glad you did not for the report would sound pretty bad in brief & it should not
be long before you learned the truth from Robin & Bert Dickie.

Enough of war now many many thanbks for the money you sent. I'm sorry you sent the money order but that was my fault for not telling you in the first letter I mentioned it in, However with a little bit of red tape I guess I will get it cashed O.K. The adress will likely go to the Gen.P.O. France & we can have them forward it to the field P.O. here. The Matron is looking after it for me & as she gets lots of such she will know what to do most likely.

D.S. is in France now in command of a hospital unit so I have heard but I have not heard it officially. I must say I shed no tears when I heard that the Southland had gone under. You had better not send any more socks (portion indeciferable) they are no use here. Other stuff comes in fine if I can get it. I don't expect to get anything that went to the batt. though for they divide all casualties parcels amongst his sec. Anything sent to any of the addresses I have given since I got hit will get me O.K. except maybe that 1st guess address that I sent.

Well I guess I must quit for its dinner time so Again thanks ever so much for the money & I hope it did not leave you short of anything at all on account of it. It sure was badly needed for I was broke & could get none whatever. Love to all

Rae