In a dugout
Thurs. Jan 18th 1916
My dearest Mother
Again I am back in the trenches but they have put upon themselves a very changed aspect for on the night of my arrival it snowed all night so that when I emerged from the dugout to go on guard about 2am the scene was one of dazzling whiteness in spite of the moonless night. One had great difficulty when coming from the lighted dugout into the white darkness to detect the path, with the consequence that several collisions between parapets that seemed suddenly to take a pace forward or backward and myself who little realizing their pranks stepped or stopped in the wrong place at the wrong moment, lost my equilibrium and at once became engrossed in a minute study of a snow covered trench mat.
Such experiences and tumbles are a matter of everyday occurrence with me, snow or rain, mud or fine, so apart from making me smile I just carried on as usual. To loose one's equilibrium of temper is a thing to absurd to be thought of let alone acted upon and if one does, well it just increases the comedy 2 fold.
So much then, for the weather and it's effect upon our rat life in the trenches.
Enclosed is a cutting from a Calgary paper, which is of interest. Evidently everyone is in love with the sandbag.
As this is going by green envelope I may as well say that my Commission business must be backed by "someone" important so I've sent it to Perc to try his luck on Lord Gochen. I should have some chance of success by asking my Commanding Officer for a private recommendation, but I hate the job of asking such as he. But if I get what I've sent to Perc for well it's simple as winking. Please keep it quiet until I've got it all done.
Received Pa's weekly and yours Mother last night. I did like the former. It lifted me up away from all this and t'was good. Your letters Mother always seem a part of me and therefore I'm always thankful to get them.
As I have to go for "rations" tonight and I want to send this at same time I must quit now.
So bye-bye
Ever your very loving boy
Jack
