Cardiff, Wales, Nov.19,1916.
Dear Sister,
Received your letter last night and glad to hear from you. I am getting on not so bad but am still in bed and not much hope of getting up. My leg goes in plaster this morning. I got all my wounds all at once and the rest of my section killed. My machine gun was the last to get put out of action out of 16 guns. There are very few of the 96 men living today. If they are they are in a bed someplace. I was one of the last to get knocked down. I was expecting it and I was sure it was coming and I was glad when I got it even though it was sore. Alex Hain was Lance Corporal in the signalers. I knew him well and Sergeant-Major Inson. You know him, too, but I don't know how he made out. The girl writes every week but for all she says she might as well quit. Ron and Basil are going to the front right away. He will be up the line alright but there is no use of Lil knowing it. I expect I will be with Fritz again but it will be some time yet. You asked me did I ever speak to a prisoner. Well I did. I told one of the 121st Wurtemburgers that I seen him running a trench mortar at Ypres and he turned as red in the face as a beet. I guess I hit it right cause he wouldn't look at me again. I wiped out a few of them and gave them a few good Blighties too so I don't owe them very much. Well the last day was the worst I ever seen. We were among them all the time. A person never knew whether they were prisoners or not. Jack Roland, Maggie Ferguson's cousin, was killed and the man where she stays was killed. They were drafted into the 58th. Well there isn't much use of a fellow worrying when he is in a fight cause he has a chance of not being hit and there are 10 wounded to one killed. So a fellow has a good chance if he is lucky of getting out of it. The girl had two cousins and one uncle killed in the same fight. They came to France in June after the big fight. Well, this is only 65 days on my back so I am having a fair rest but believe me I am having some time. These Welsh people are very kind. Today is visiting day. I guess I will have a lot of visitors as usual. I will close.
Your affec. Bro. Cpl. MacKinnon
P.S. Keep Neil at his job. Gordon says he is going to enlist. Well, if he ran up against some of Fritz's six footers he wouldn't have time to change his mind. It ain't so bad for a fellow that knows his business but sometimes 3 or 4 gets at you at once and you got to give it to them good and quick. Gordon would be no good in a charge. He would never see a Fritz cause it is only men physically fit that gets into these trenches. Good-bye.