Letter to Mother from Scilly Isle

29-1-18  Scilly Isle

Dear Mother:–

It is 11 P.M. but I want to write you a few words before I go to bed, I was at a Social evening tonight at the Guild Club with Lilly we had a great time coffee bread butter and cookies for lunch the tallent was fine, I like many of the young folks that I have meet, I was asked out to tea on Friday night, to Mr Rodgers a merchants home, being a friend of Stanleys may get me in to some places where I won't be able to affeciate good night Mother dear as ever your loving son Laurie

640 P.M.  30th

Well Mother Mrs Deason Lilly and I went down town this P.M.. I meet afew of there freinds who seemed real nice.

This Isle is an old fashioned place the houses are all stone and each small field is fenced by stone fences and say the fields are small they grow flowers principaly for a living, I think, some have a few cows, some a cupple of horses to. But they are just as happy here as any one could be there homes are nice and comfy, and the warm climate does help a lot.

I suppose the boys are back in the trenches again by now. I hope they have luck and not many casualties,

I used to think that I would tell you lots of things when I got away from the censors but now I have nothing to tell you that I can think off.

Tell Mrs Burns that Mitchel was in supports at Passandale about four hundred yds behind the front line, and was taken at once to the dressing station a little over a half mile away not more but there is where he must have died. I have told you and her all I know must have happened. this was on the 23rd or 24th then I went over the top on an advance on the 26th Our Batt'n went in about 650 strong and came out to Putteese [Potijze] 175 strong two days and a half after.

The other big scrap I was in was the Lens fight of Aug. 21st when Leeper was hit. I did not go over the top but I could not have been in more shell fire going over than where I was at head quarters. just a little in rear of front line. I held the line for three days after I have been over Vimy ridge countless times there is a great view over Heinie land from Vimy.

I well remember walk over Vimy with Mitchel and talking about the dead Heinies that were lying around at that time, and now just a few months later the poor boys remains are lying somewhere in Flanders in an unknown grave. but Mother is great to be here taking part in this struggle for it is going to surely be the awakening of the nations And if I come thru it is making me such a man that I will be worth something in the work there will be to do.

The time seems to fly so that if I live I will not know it untill the war is over even if it takes a year or more.

Stanley is going to Canada right away. I wish we could have him come out home for a while They have surely used me like one of the family here, and Stanley is such a good boy he was my first Army chum and all ways will be a dear friend.

He is married now, his wife will come out later I think when he gets a location to suit, I am going down to mid week service tonight so bye bye Mother dear

as ever Laurie.