Letter to Mother

[7? August 1918]
#782373
To Mrs Alice D. Cunningham
Hazenmore Sask.  Canada

Dear Mother:–

I am sitting on my bed in a room large enough to hold a co'y of men, and the band is playing  about 30 feet ahead in front of my bed.

I remember in one of your letters, you asked me if I couldent always have a short letter written and in my pocket that could be sent to you in case I got knocked out, well I have come to that place in my army life when I am writing that letter, but there is no guarantee that you will ever receive it, but whether I send it or some one else if I come thru I will forward it to you.

 I am going in with a plain haversack no red cross or S.B. up and carrying an automatic revolver, I never feel right in this war without a means of defense, and I will not get dependent on any sympathy thru the red cross.

I am glad to be with the boys, we have a fine strong fit platoon of men every man able to do his bit.

I hope if I have to get it, that I can carry on and help manys the boy before I get hit,

8th

Dear Mother just a note on the battle field, we are advancing and I have passed a good many prisoners that the waves ahead have taken, the night and A.M. have been fine and cloudy but the sun is peeping thru, some times now, I want to sleep or rest a few minuites before we press on. I had one sleep since we jumped off, now for a few minuites, bye bye dear

Laurie

Well Mother evening has come and I haven't had a casualty in my platoon, but I dressed one heine who was hit trying to beat it and lay by our path as we passed. he seemed to appreciate the attention, I of coarse don't blame him,

9th       A.M.

Well Mother we are still as I said above a fine cool A.M. I have [abundance???] of sleep and am as fit as a fiddle.

We are not carrying our great coats just oil sheet. I made a nice shelter out of boughs to place my stretcher under and slept like a top I must have slept about three or four hours after breakfast,

It is great to see the cavalry in action but makes me wish I was one of them some times I hate to see the fine poneys that have gone to there happy hunting grounds, and other that may pull thru but are wounded, I guess they wonder what some of the heavy bombardments mean,

10th     A.M.

Dear Mother:–

I am sitting on the same old battle field but miles in advance of where I started this letter, a beautiful A.M. I have only a moment to write so bye bye dear your loving son Laurie

11th

Dear Mother two years ago yesterday we pulled out of Camp Hughes. ell hear it came our turn to take the front wave and we did it O.K. I had my experiences at first aid, and I surely take joy out of being young and able to carry on, and am thankfull that I was gifted with horse sence enough to be able to do my work with some degree of efficiency.

I dressed a W.R.A. MacDonald from about two and a half miles north east of Marone, you may yet see him, I don't think he will ever get back to France again,

I might say that between lines I curl up in a ball you could cover with a penny as one of Heine's shells lights beside me and throws dirt all around, I have a shelter but more suitable for rain than shell fire,

This A.M. I went out ahead and picked up extra oil sheets and iron rations to do us in a pinch if ours should be late in getting up. the next waves had more casualties than us when we went over,

My the weather is fine not a drop of rain going on the fourth day, you will have seen by the papers long ago what we are doing.

12th     P.M.

Dear Mother I am sitting in the shade, made by my stretcher and an oil sheet, today has been very hot, like a real harvest day at home,

I am in advance of where I was at writing time yesterday but not in the front line, I had no casualties since yesterday about noon, one.

Things are surprisingly quiet in comparison to my shell fire experiences of last year in both Aug. and Oct.

I got my revolver and a few thing taken away from my equipment yesterday, that was provoking, Some boys salvage casualties equipment on the battle field, where others claim this privalage to shield there thieving when they know the owner is not a casualty. I put a tag on my stuff saying what it was, and that I was not a casualty and went to the well for water. When I come back the job had been done, but that is all right they say all is fair in love and war I hope the things he got help him to win the war, and I won't ever say any thing.

I haven't had a shave for about six days and it is three since I washed so I would welcome a bath all right any day or hour,

We have never been with out water. the hole trip a well has always turned up unexpectedly, and we have each carried two bottles, some times we could pick up a casualties bottle and that would help us out,

There is two things that don't bother me after I am started, shell and rifle fire, and to see men wounded, I can go to work and dress them up, just like a mother, I surely found my right work when I took the job last fall but I waited a long time to get my first casualties,

Well bye bye Mother dear I will have to quit once more, I received yours of July 7th yesterday, I am glad Annie got out there this summer I suppose she is back home by now. as ever your loving son

Laurie

13th     P.M.

Dear Mother:–

I am about the place I was while writing yesterday, an other fine day and hot.

We expected to move last night but I thot I would take off my ground sheet and ly down, Well I fell off to sleep and diden't wake up untill 12 midnight. I was a trifle chilly so I got up asked. the boys when we would move, they had not heard, so I took my other oil sheet and lay down again and slept until after day light. I took a good shave today and slight wash I just used the full of a shaving soap tin to shave and then wet a cloth to wipe my face and hands over,

14th

Dear Mother:– A dandy A.M. Bob McKeith and I slept in a wheat field last night with an oil sheet under us and two over, I got about 99% of the oil sheet over us, the other was tied down or I guess I would have had it to.

Well we woke and the boys were talking about our anti air craft just bring down an enemy plain, but I woke to late to see it, I have seen several fall any way and lots of good fights

A few hours later we have had a short march away from the line. we have passed parties burrying dead and etc. you can picture miles of new battle field my the country is fine, and pretty I have stood and taken in many the scene at all hours of the twenty four and by star light, moon light, and day light, and hope I can remember them to tell you when I return,

A lot of the old friends of mine are returning that were with us last year and were wounded at different times, it does us good to shake our hands again and exchange experience, some have been in Blighty nearly 12 months and I have only missed 24 hours with my batt. in the line in nearly 14 months.

B McKeith and I are getting closer freinds all the time most intimate, well bye bye Mother dear as ever your loving son -

Laurie