Letter to Mother from Somewhere in France
#782373
Some where France
28-5-18
Dear Mother:–
Dinner is just over and I fixed up my equipment for next parade, We had our first Aid class this A.M. It was a fine A.M. but cool,
I received a parcel of eats from Annie last night.
After supper Reedman and I went up on the hill, after a few minuites Crane come up and we had a real good bible study period for about an hour and a half. Crane is an ex school teacher of England and the last few years in canada he has a good knowledge of the scriptures.
Annie sent me two little volumes of poems fifty by English poets and fifty by American authors, bound in leather, I will send them home when thru with them,
29-5-18
Well Mother we are expecting canadian mail any day now I thot maby it would in tonight, but got fooled,
The day has been nice I was on parade all day our first aid classes are over for now,
We were thru gass this P.M. to test our helmets, I have every faith in our helmets, I could wear mine any length of time if need be,
I put up my two years good conduct stripe to night That means two year of service without any number one punishment. I don't see any need of doing any thing different in the coming months but I might make a mistake any time and get in wrong, a fellow never knows his luck,
The boys are wearing cheverons now for service over seas I will put up three the 15th of Aug. if I am living, two aren't worth while bothering with, Some boys have four, the boys that came over in 14 wear a red one for that year and a blue one for each other year abroad, above is about the size of them [sketch of a right angled chevron 1" x 1" about 1/8" thick] I like them because they are dainty.
Well good night Mother dear as ever your loving son
Laurie
31st 5.30 P.M.
Well Mother supper is over and I am lying on the hill where I wrote the first letter in this camp quite awhile ago.
Yesterday was a dandy day I was on parade all day. after supper eighteen of us went out with a big in door base ball and had a good game the sergeant major and two corporals were with us, I only stayed for an hour the score was about even about nine each We just threw up the bat and chose sides as we used to at school. I remarked that I had not done that for twelve or fifteen years,
We surely had fun each home in the west should have one of those balls.
Well after that I came up on the hill and we had our bible study three of us. A new man joined us that will be with us often I hope, We surely get good out of these meetings together.
Today I was on parade in the A.M, P.M. a manouver of quite a distance that was interesting thru wood and a trench, we supposed we had some casualties and etc. but I did not dress them.
The band is just starting up they play each night,
Mother I beleave if I live to get back and have my health and strength as I have now I will always look back to army days, when I used to march with the boys, with brass band ahead and the pipes about the center of the battalion, I like to march to the music, I like to see long strings of boys marching ahead all in step if it was not for the job it is, it would be fine for a change, If I am tired I can pick up my head and the step and march along for a long distance more if the band starts up, We all like it all tho I seldom go to the band concert and sit around for an hour, I go a distance away where I can hear it, and write or read or talk to some one,
June 1st 5.45 P.M.
Well Mother this has been a dandy day, we were shooting on the range this P.M. I done a good part of the time, and poor part of the time, we are right near the ranges so we never have a big march, before and after shooting,
We haven't missed our bible study for a good many nights now, and it is helping us a lot.
We had a good time this A.M. judging distance from a hill over looking Heine land, but of coarse the objects were for this side of Heine that we ranged on, lots of places in the this country you can see a long distance, mines, farms, and villages some of the villages are surely a wreck but others only get one occasional shell others an occasional shelling and etc. Well good night Mother dear as ever your loving son
Laurie,