Letter to Mother from a Dugout in France
#782373
Dugout in France
9-3-17
11 K. A.M.
Dear Mother:–
I am sitting in a trench enjoying the sun and listening to large artillery shells go over head,
The few trees we see on the battle field that represent the finest of groves a few years ago look like a 10 acre 3 yr old orchard in B.C. after a drove of deer have spent a night in Jan in it. These days we have to pinch our selves to make use move around enough to keep feeling good and keep up our apetites.
I got to bed about 11 K P.M. and slept till about 7.30 then breakfast, since I have brushed 90 rounds of amunition and cleaned my rifle, since I have sat around and talked and read my little testament, It was a sell on the germans to build shell proof dug outs and gun implacements and then have to leave them for use, I guess they dident like it at all.
I am glad you like your house since you got back that is a proof that a change is as good as a rest, Do you use your churn with the engine The boys get regular isues of cigarettes and tobacco and matches I always take my matches but don’t bother taking the cigarettes I tell the corperal to give them to anyone that is handiest to me, I have enjoyed watching hiney shell a place about 175 yds away those big shells show some power all right when they hit.
4th
I received 3 letters from the states the a.m. and enjoyed them all. Lottie writes the greatest letter, I will have to try to write a good answer tell Horace to tell her that if she don’t here from me it will be because I can’t from being disabled in some way in the near future.
Well good bye Mother dear as ever your loving son Laurie