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Like [damaged] crawl [damaged] enough to [damaged] up [damaged]

The weather is not bad just a few showers now and again to keep things fresh. In the morning and evening its looks great to see the small towns before us. there is not a sign of life to be seen with out the aid of glasses They are across a few miles of level ground Row upon row of red brick houses with mine shaft machinery jutting up here and there. Maby as you are watching a big shell of ours passes over our heads in that direction and the next thing to be seen is a great cloud of red brick dust fly up into the air high above the house tops It seems a pity to destroy the pretty towns but I guess its the only way. as we have to blast our way a head in this war. There is a little villiage behind our lines which has been treated in such a manner only worse as there is not a house standing now. The ones that were left by our shells has been blown to pieces by the Germans At the present moment there is a Fritz machine flying above our line so its the safest plan to keep in our little holes so as he cannot tell the number of men in the trench if he saw a lot in it He would at once shell it. and thats no bon (no good) as the French say. I made a dixie of tea this morning the amount of tea that we put in to make a quart would shock you people just a small handfull for a dixie (1 qt) I had a drink of that coffee you sent me it was good. By the way when you send the next box put a can of Keen's mustard in its good for meat you know. Well I must close now hope you are all well. With Love. Earl

P.S. Send a few envelopes in each box They get stuck so easy. E.J.