May 18th, 1916

Thing shave been very quiet of late This morning after sick parade I rode down with Alex Davidson to see the dentist He was going on so I came back to lunch. After lunch I went around the batteries The mail had arrived when I got back.

There is no news of our poor old Major so I guess there is no chance of his still being alive. It is certainly awfully sad as we all like him so much. He was one of the best known characters in the first division.

It has been very hot for the past two days but it's better than having rain all the time. There were a great many aeroplanes of both sides sailing around today and numerous fights in the air. One can always tell an aeroplane machine gun from one on the ground by the very short sound of the report. We are still in our palatial residence and very comfortable. Last night we had a four handed game of cribbage. It is lots of fun and a mighty good game. You ought to try it for a change instead of five hundred. The time passes fairly quickly and leave comes once in about four months so we cant complain.

I had a letter from Staunton last night and he does'nt get leave at all out there so you see some of us are lucky He is going to stay on although some of the others with him are leaving at the end of their year's service for which they engaged. He will probably get his captaincy.