In a deep ex German dugout.
Sun. Oct 8th 1916
My dearest Mother
Here it is Sunday again and unfortunately for you I have been unable to get off the letter of two days ago. I mean I have no opportunity of getting it censored and away so having another opportunity of writing I thought I'd the two away together.
I received letters yesterday from Pa, Aunt Annie, Marjorie and Miss. Ryder. Pa mentions Mr. Cox and his wanting my photograph. As I have one I am sending it with a letter at my earliest opportunity so I hope Pa hasn't sent one as well.
I'm doing my utmost to get on the trail of Harry Rosewarne but although he's not far off, I have so far failed to trace his crowd, but am still trying.
I'm writing this in a wonderful place namely a very deep ex German dugout. It reminds us all of being abroad ship because running at right angles to the foot of the stair way (which has 30 steps in each 1 ft high) is a long wide corridor. Out of this at intervals are deep recesses wide enough for two men to sleep. Thus with two bunks in a recess each recess accommodates 4 men. Compris dat?
These recesses open out on each side of the corridor and the whole dugout is timber lined and whitewashed. The whole place accommodates 87 men and a kitchen and dining room complete it. Certainly old Fritz meant to spend another winter here but as our fellows showed him in last night's battle, when they pushed him yet further that there's nothing doing.
I shall be mighty glad when this trip is all over for it's been a particularly hard and tough one, not to mention the mud.
What else can I spout about? Oh! I'll give you the latest parody on "Keep the home fires burning".
Keep the Huns retiring
Keep the guns afiring
Keep the rifles cracking till the Huns are done
Keep the bayonets flashing while the boys are dashing
Turn the Germans inside out
And we'll all go home.
That's the sort of stuff we learn at the YMCA.
Now I'll guess I'll stop this as its 12.30 pm (you are coming out of church and I wish I was)
So bye-bye
Ever your very loving boy
Jack.
Please lets have some more magazines. We are run right out of "reads".
