France
Jan. 27, 1917

Dear Father -

Well another week has passed and it is time for another letter for home. I got Will's letter of Dec. 26 on Monday Jan. 22. I am glad you enjoyed yourselves at Christmas and I hope you did not worry over me not being there. I believe last week I had a hard luck story about not getting any parcels, well my luck has changed for the better. Last Sunday I got Cousin Maggie's parcel from Sask. Also I got the one from Aunt Alice and Cleve Joynt from Hensall, you would probably know that they had sent one to me.

To-day I was surprised by a parcel from the Rowcliffe family. All the parcels have arrived with the contents in first class condition. I expect that parcel from England may arrive yet. To-day I got a letter from Mrs. C. Christie, in Stephen I will be kept busy answering letters and acknowledging parcels for awhile yet. The Christmas parcels have begun to come up to our bunch now. There was three parcels yesterday and four parcels to-day came into our dugout so we have been living pretty well lately. One thing the eats come in alright, it has been a loaf of bread to four men for a week.

College life seems to agreeing with Janet. She must have made out pretty well with her Exams at Christmas. I suppose you would hardly know her when she came home. She would have a pretty good time between going to concerts and having parties at home. She would be a little disappointed that Grace Elder was not going for the winter term. By the way there must have been a change in the domestic affairs in the Elder family at Christmas.

You must have had another epistle from Harvey Gardiner So he has come to the hitching point at last. It is to be hoped that he makes out better with his venture than John appears to have done. At any rate Harvey appears to be well pleased so far, it is to be hoped that it lasts. He should make things hum now, the Gardiner's will make people sit up and look yet. At any rate that chore boy, Melville Martin has made his mark in Saskatchewan. Uncle Peter says it didn't do him any harm to be around Exeter awhile. What a good thing it was that there was a place he could go where he couldn't get into much mischief. I don't think I will be long getting to that same place, when this business is finished over here.

John Rohde seems to be pretty well under the weather, a good rest will perhaps be the best thing he could get. I suppose he will have to dispose of quite a lot of his stock. How is the pigs coming on that you got from him?

I see that Usborne and Exeter are holding to the rule of saving money at the municipal elections. By the way I was glad to see in an Exeter paper that one of the boys got here, that Will got his Certificates from the Dept. of Education. I venture to say that if anybody earned them, it was him. If work counted he deserved it alright.

How does Ernie Oke look after he has come home? You will likely have seen him by this time. I guess he has had quite a siege of suffering and will be able to tell quite a story if he has a mind to.

The Govt. seems to be able to keep up the payments of my wages in good shape. Don't be afraid to make use of the money if you need it at any time. We get paid over here at the rate of fifteen francs every two months, about three dollars. We always get paid in the currency of the country we are in. We buy French bread here when we can manage to get it.

Leather seems to be getting scarce in Canada according to the price of boots. I have a new pair of boots just now. There is enough iron on the soles to make a horse shoe. They are heavy but I got them big enough to wear two pairs of socks. They are only No. 10's and the wide size at that.

Well we are still working away over here we have about two miles to walk to work now. You see the gang is doing a little work. We have snow on the ground and it makes it better to walk home at nights after work. It is froze pretty hard and the track is rather slippery in places.

Will hoped I was taking care of myself. Well I am doing the best I can though I wouldn't mind having another bath. The last was 3 weeks ago to-day and I believe their is a few crawlers making their head quarters in my underclothes This morning I had a look and disposed of a few of the extra ones. That is one thing that the army doesn't issue that we carry round with us.

I think my address is the same. I hope everybody is well at home and all the stock is doing well. I am in pretty good health and always look for home letters.

From your son
John Strang