28 Aug 1916 Dearest Mother:- It seems ages and ages since Ive sent you any information about myself other than the field postcard. Truth is I havent been writing hardly at all, but will begin now and give you as well as it is allowed a fair account of my wanderings. Your parcels and letters have been arriving regularly and at present are more appreciated than ever before. Conditions have changed, more so than anything I could ever have imagined, and to go back to trench warfare after the experiences of the last three or four weeks in some other part of the line, will be tame indeed. Well to get on with the story. Had a very pleasant treck down here by train and bicycle. The latter was really a treat, a horse requires so much attention and work and to saddle one with the necessary equipment, signalling flags, range finder, lite [?] etc is a puzzle that would get me up ½ hr earlier in the morning to be on time, and you know how much John needs his sleep. We moved into position and what a surprise. A large mixture of guns heavy and small, a terrific noise and crash, at night a roar and lurid flash continally every hour of the day and night. Aeroplanes by the flock, kite, balloons by the score, millions of men, horses, wagons, motor trucks autos, Fritzy prisoners in [?]. it is what I somewhat imagined it was like away back in Toronto and I am just as happy and glad as Ive ever been in the army to be here at the present time; for this show down here Mother is, without a doubt, the greatest battle in the worlds history and to be in it, no matter what rank or position but to be doing a share, pleases me more than I can say. Ive seen the new armoured cars, caterpillors or landgrubbers, we call them, tanks in england, get into preparation for action talked with men who actually saw them go in, and talked with the Fritzys the same, upon which they had so demoralizing effect. How id do wish I could go into minute details, of course, I know you will only see the casualty lists, and there again I should be able to describe to you the brave and fearless way the men go into action, but its beyond description. My old battalion lost heavily and if Mack and Ray had been there, Id have been with them too. They are boys who gave all they had in the face of a losing game at that time and in that respect and in that only are different from the ones here. Well Mother its getting late and as usual Ive wandered away off what I wanted to say. Best of love to you all. Your loving son John Souvenirs from a German helmet to a German Field Gun are all to be had for the carrying, when the war is on its last legs, peace in sight within two weeks; John will do his best to gather them in but in the meantime he is travelling light. It is along way to go yet. Orvil is well. JL