Bramshot
April 15,1917

Dear Folks:

Sunday PM and a swell day. Everybody is out somewhere but Daffy and I & we're busy with letters. We got another Canadian mail this week so hence the ambish--.

I got box No. 19 this week and I'm sorry to say it didn't last long. A bunch of us were sitting around the stove telling each other how hungry we were when Lennie brought in the box. Well I had to open it then and pass it around. Everybody seemed to hide their modesty too altho I cinched over half of everything before I let go of it. You know we can't buy anything in the eats line now on account of the food scarcity and altho' we get fed good at the mess still we get tired of mulligan and jam. Its funny how popular a guy gets about mail day.

Mac is still in Aldershop -- I had a letter from him last week & he's feeling fine.

I haven't rec' Marg's last parcel yet but am still in hopes. The last shipment of mail hasn't come thru' - all of it - yet so I'm banking on that.

The weather is lots better the last week or so. It rains quite often but that's a mere trifle.

News just came in that the Canadians have captured Lens. Things are certainly going strong over there now. The Canadians are doing their share too. The English papers are full of what the Canadians are doing.

I had a letter from Rus Burnett the other day & he's still fine. He hasn't even been up the line yet. So you see even after a fellow does go to France he has to take a complete course at the base before going up the line. Rus has been over their two months now and is just expecting to go up the line now.

Theres a rumor around now that a big draft is being called for the C.M.R.'s. If its very big it will include us all and in a way I hope it does. The war will be over some time around July and even by going now we will hardly see fighting before then and I'd hate to spend all this time training and then never get a poke at the Huns at all. I know how you feel about it and you may be sure I won't fall all over myself to go but if they call for N.C.O.'s its a cinch I won't hide. I could have gone with Burnie but I knew how you felt about it and the fellows talked me out of it. But don't think I'm gone yet for this isn't the first rumor that fell thru' by a long ways.

Several of the 202 fellows were up to see us today. They are in he 5th Div. now and are going over as a unit. I'm just as glad we didn't go over as a unit for as it is we have kept our bunch pretty well together with the exception of Burnie & J.D. & a few more & then going over by drafts - we get Officers who have seen service and that means a whole lot.

Well I guess this is all for now. I'll write again soon & let you know any further developments. I've been having a pretty easy time of it lately and am feeling great. Remember me to everybody.

Sincerely

Bill