March 25th, 1915.

Well, after three days at the "old homestead" near the trenches I have been relieved to come back and sleep here at the wagon line behind the guns.

At the hut things are rather camp style and there is too much now going on to get a very good sleep and one has to sleep in one's clothes, getting quite English dont you know. So yesterday I had a good bath, clean underwear, etc., and today after a long ride around the place here I am waiting at 6. P.M. for my horse to come around to ride down to the battery for dinner with the others.

I have just taken on a new servant, Bristowe, who promises to be good. My last one was sent to hospital on account of bad teeth which troubled him. Now after several attempts I think I have an A.1 servant and an A1 groom, (here's hoping).

My kit which once was elephantine is now small. Here's my horse, au revoir for the present.

Tuesday, March, 30th, 1915.

This is my first opportunity to continue since the advent of my horse some days ago.

I have been chasing around up at the battery, ordnance stores, and here for the last few days, and coming back here to sleep. Now I have just settled down to a cigaret and some Dentyne chewing gum. A good ad for that brand of digestive stimulant. There has been very little firing during the last few days beyond that at aeroplanes. They shoot and shoot at these but very seldom hit them. Lately the germans have been dropping bombs around the villages and killing a few harmless old people here and there and sometimes they shell the billets. Elliot and "Red" with two signallers at the observing station had a narrow shave today. Two shells went into it near them but no one hurt. There is a big fight coming off soon, I expect, but no one knows when it will be.

There was another farm set on fire down the road this morning by a shell but so far as I can learn no one was hurt.

My new servant has turned out fine He cooks breakfast here every morning for us as well as his other jobs and today gave us porridge for the first time in many moons.

I wish I could tell you about all the interesting things but I cannot so you'll have to wait.

We have had the finest weather lately. It is just like spring although the wind is still cold.

My two nags "Bob" and "Captain" are in fine shape. Poor old Cap has gone through a lot of sickness but is feeling fine now. He first got a corn at Salisbury. Then he caught cold while standing in the rain for that to get better. He just got over that and was getting well when he got kicked on the train coming up from the boat. I felt sure that his leg was broken and thought I would have to shoot him the night we disembarked but did'nt and now he is in great shape. Bob is simply O.K. all the time.

I have been getting the papers and mail regularly and we all look forward to the Sunday World. The picture part is fine.

In the Canadian Courier of Feb. 27th page six, there is an article that they ought to get after the writer for. People like that should be sent up to the firing line to repair wire under fire and see how they like it. I read it today and boiled over. However that is'nt getting me any nearer the battery for supper, so I'll have to let the boiling continue on my walk up there.