[transcription and footnotes have been provided by the collection donor]
France Oct 9/17[118]
Dear Father & Mother:-
Was very pleased to receive two letters from you to-day dated Sept 8 - 12 and also an envelope addressed by Father with three letters in from some of the school kids[119]. It is raining very hard to-night and has been for the last two or three days but we have a stove in our tent and we are quite warm and happy. My, those snaps are good. It makes me feel homesick every time I look at them. We are out of the line at present and not doing much except a few route marches and a little gun drill[120]. Am sorry to hear about Pendleburys. Walter & Tom are quite well as far as I know. I haven't received the PC you said you sent more from Winnipeg[121].
Hoping you are quite well.
Your Loving Son
Rich
Footnotes
[118] The weather was recorded in Borden War Diary as " Partly Fine … with Rain in P.M." The Battery was on Brigade Routine Duty after completing several days of detailed instruction on their machine guns. The Battery was generally in training six days per week and was ready to move anywhere on 6 hours notice. On the previous day Pte. Richard Mercer was at "Pay Parade" so the men in the Battery would have some funds for some simple recreation. It is also possible the men may have been granted a little time to visit the local estiments to purchase eggs and chips, and weak beer and wine.
[119] The school kids could be from the class taught by Miss McGill who gave privates Richard Mercer, Tom Tracy and Walter Wylie candies on their last trip home to Theodore before going overseas.
[120] The Borden Battery moved to Barlin, France on 5 September 1917 and was busy with new camp improvements until 25 September, and except for some minor anti-aircraft duties in early September, they were occupied with training and equipment maintenance.
[121] The trip to Winnipeg could have been a buying trip for Georgia Mercer's ladies millinery store, a personal visit with friends and/or a medical trip as a result of Georgina Mercer's deteriorating health as a result of developing complications from what might have been unsuspected diabetes.
