France,
Jan 5th 16

Dear Grandad:-

Rec'd your very welcome parcel along with some from Mother and friends in Winnipeg. I am sorry to say that the pipe was broken but I am getting a new mouthpiece for it downtown. It is a good pipe and you could not have sent me anything I would have appreciated more as I am a confirmed pipe smoker and have no good pipes left, at least not a pipe you could be proud of, as there is not one that is worth more than a shilling.

I was kind of lucky the parcels came late as nearly all the boys had parcels, so I did not suffer for want of cake and chocolate. So you see they are appreciated more after all the Xmas and New Year's excitement is over. The candies were A1, I am not much of a candy eater but I do enjoy good candies.

You must give my very best love to Aunt Ethel and tell her that I hope to be able to spend Xmas with you both sometime in the dim future.

Mother quite excelled herself and sent me one of the best cakes I have ever had and she is some cake maker too.

Well old Syd is still carrying on looking after the horses as all good teamsters should. I receive letters from him regularly and he seems to be fit and well. Dad has been returned to his unit and is again in Shorncliffe. He does not know when he will be coming to France but I suspect the spring will see them in France when things will be morec lively and the slaughterhouse returns mount up.

I am still rustling wood and posts with the rest of the boys but expect to be back with my battalion in the spring.

About Frank enlisting, I hope he does not but if he does it won't hurt him and I hope the war will be nearing the finish by the time he is eighteen.

Congratulations for your birthday which is bringing you close to the four score mark and if your handwriting is anything to go by I should say you were well on toward the four score and ten mark at least.

Love to all

From Jack