Letter to Mother

To Mrs Alice D. Cunningham
Hazenmore  Sask. Canada
#782373
5-8-18

Dear Mother:–

I am sitting in a feed barn in a little room where I have slept today, my candle burning and I am soon going to bed. I have been buisy part of the time today fixing up the boys feet, they have got tender from the marching my feet only tire they never get blister or get tender spots at all.

We are in a little village one very small store the main thing they sell is wine, The news in paper tonight are very good.

6th

I am sitting in a grain barn on some wheat straw, I just jumped down from the mow where I slept last night. So I would have a better place to write, we had breakfast at 3 a.m. dinner about 12.30 so there was lots of time to sleep and I surely did sleep the soft straw and the warm damp weather it is showery, has been for several days.

We have been having some great arguments in the line of march these days and while in rest billets, it help greatly to have something of interest to occupy the mind as the pack begins to get heavy but we never march longer than 50 minuites at a time, then ten rest, our grub is always O.K. I have one or more meals in advance all the time so if I ever should be short I will carry over and never realize it by a shortage.

Well bye bye Mother dear as ever your loving son Laurie

7th   11.50 A.M.

Dear Mother I am sitting on my bed in a good not far from a stream where I got a dandy bath this a.m. and washed a pair of socks and towel, the current was to strong for me to try to swim in, but the boys that could swim good had lots of fun, The trees are surely great very pretty take old France on the hole away from the shell ridden districts is very pretty and I like the country, but the pig pen tactics that the civilians use would get your goat very bad.

I can't see how they live and have any health at all. But I beleave they are healthy and there is evidence that they live to be very old by the quantity of old people that we see around. There are old women walking around half dubbled up that can just walk along but they still work at something.

I have about four inches of flux[sic] under me so you will know that I am comfortable. just like a matress only not so firm.

I have an editor of one of Vancouvers papers sleeping beside me, a very clever man. The shelling and trench life is hard on his nerves. But he is game to carry on all though you can realize how much harder it is on him than a man that can ly any where and tople of to sleep and who can go over the top with out his individual fate costing him a thought. I feel sorry for several of these men but all I can do is give them a word of encouragement and stay as much with them as I can.

We are having dinner at 1 P.M. our breakfast was early, about 3,30

Well Mother I will have to close and send this today bye bye Mother dear

as ever your loving son Laurie