August 11/17

On Active Service

My Dear Sister and Brother

Received your letters of 12th and 22nd of July and was glad to hear from you, but have not had time to write for some time. I also got a parcel from the Dunnville Red Cross last night. The socks that Mrs. Grant knit were in it. The snapshot of you and Margaret and Teresa I think is fine. I got your parcel a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for the same. I got a letter from Steve Ewen a few days ago, and he said he was sending me a parcel. I got a letter from Ethel about a week ago. Steve must have put three or four letters of mine to-gether as I never write any long ones.

I went over to the (erased) Battalion last night and saw Raithby and Tom Barnes and about twenty five other Dunnville Boys. They are all well that I saw.

Margaret look fine in the snapshot and looks quite big I think. I suppose Teresa has lots of fun play with her. Mary I suppose thinks a lot of her.

You wanted to know if I done any fighting. Well I have not yet. But fighting is not the only stuff that goes on out here. Killing lice has got them all beat. That powder kills them all right, but the place is so lozie (lousy) that you would have to put it on every day and I don't like using it over once a week.

I would like to have a few days in Crystal Beach. It would go fine, but will have to wait till the war is over for that.

I don't know when the war will end and I guess nobody else does either.
I think I have run out of new for this letter and hope it find you all in good health.

I am well except I have about half a dozen boils on my neck and they are a little sore. But are getting better now. I got a letter from Mother to-night with some money in. I got it O.K.

I think I will close for this time. With Love from

Arthur C. Smith

XXXXXXXX