June 17/17
Dear Mither
Another week has slipped away & once again it is Sunday & two weeks almost to the hour since I was hit & Mother my leg is still very much here in its little box stall. It is going to stay there to you bet if good health and keeping cheery will do it. Do you know I haven't had a blue day since I got hit. For one thing there is such a cheery lot in the ward that anyone who is anyways grouchy has to take a lot of chaff. They are all knee cases in this ward & from all over the Empire. We have two Canadian, two Australians, 2 new Zealanders, 2 Irishmen, 1 Scotch, 1 Welsh & the rest English so we get some rare arguments at times which helps pass the time and forget our pains. I have very little pain by the way except when my wounds are dressed. They are healing up splendidly & it only remains for my temp. to reduce till I go to Eng.
The big trouble here is the grub, it is not very good. It is put up by the Imperials & does not seem so good as our Canadian grub particularly the bread. Then we just long for fruit Lemonade etc. these hot days & we can get none at all. Once in a while they bring around some water that you can just tell a lemon had been near but very seldom. On the whole though things go along very nicely & the time slips by fairly well. Oh yes I had a shave this morning. I don't know if it will be in the morning papers or no. Terrible slaughter this morning by the bomber. All prisoners refused quarter everything mown down before the blade.
Well Mither how goes things at home these days. It must be terribly hot for you & Dad to get through your work. I only hope my leg will allow me to relieve you of your work when I get back. I asked the Dr. the other day if he was sure I would have a stiff knee. He told me I was very very lucky not to have lost the leg. I told him I knew that but was afraid if my knee turned out all right I might have to go back up the line to fight. (Of course I said it in fun). He says never in this war old man unless they take you up Dot & carry one. He is inclined to bluff a lot though & I think he just wanted to make the easier in case the leg had to come off. The nurse says she thinks it won't be too bad & though I won't play any more football etc. she thought I would be able to play Tennis & such lighter games so if thats the case I can still sling ties and carry on as usual. There is a paralell case to mine in the next bed only he gave way to it & was losing his head so they had to amputate to save him. They say that is where the danger comes in but somehow I got through so eazy so far that I cannot understand it. My biggest worry was that it did not seem natural to have so little pain with such wounds.
I suppose Jims holidays will be comming soon & say what a glorious holiday it will be for him eh! Making final arrangements for his wedding. If I get sent back I may be in Saskatoon Soldiers hospital for a time. Then it will be nice to have him there so handy. Some one to drop in & see one once in a while. Some of the chaps have their people in to see them here nearly every day. They get free trans. across from Eng & the Y M puts them up while here. Of course its only serious cases & when sent for by the Dr. that they get across.
Well mither he's gathering the mail in so I guess Ill quit right away chick. Tell the girls to write as it is hard for me to write when in bed but Ill make up for it when I get up. Love to all.
Lovingly Rae
