BRUAY DISTRICT, Lozingham

January 25, 1918

Girlie Darling:

Do you still think that I do not write to you often enough? Curse on the mail, it's so darn slow and disappointing.

We are having a good rest again now and we are all mighty glad of it too. You remember in the last letter I said that I had better quit writing because Fritz had commenced to shell our billets? It was a lucky thing for me that I did. About an hour after, we thought Fritz had quit shelling and some of the boys began writing again. But it didn't last long - another shell burst within fifty yards of our billet. Several pieces of the shell came through, and an extra large piece came through the window and hit one of the boys in the mouth. It was within a few inches of where I had been sitting. It wounded him pretty badly; broke the lower jaw, knocked out all the upper teeth on one side, and I think will leave a pretty nasty scar. He is an awfully nice boy. It was too bad because the night before he had received $150 from home to go on leave, and all morning he had been talking about what he would be doing this time next week. It took all the joy of life out of us for the rest of the day. of course he was unable to speak hear from her soon.

I had another narrow escape two days after, while in the line. I was going into the cook hose for breakfast and Fritz sent over two or three Whiz Bangs. I think it was on account of the smoke going up from the cook house fire that caused him to send them over. However, the first one was a peach - it landed not more than three feet from the trench door of the cookhouse dugout and I believe it was because we were so close that we did not get hit. The concussion was very great but few of the pieces of shrapnel came down into the trench.

But now we are OK. We are miles from the line and are billeted in the outhouse of a chateau. We (the Motor Transport) have a nice mess, and so far have not had too much running to do. You see we only have to collect the sick from the Battalions every morning, and the rest of the time is our own. There is only one drawback. Very close to the billet there is a practice target for machine gunners shooting from our aeroplanes and the bullets strike rocks etc. and ricochet all over the camp. Sometimes they miss the target altogether, and then it's look out!

Say, I haven't heard from Ross yet. I wrote to him last week. He wrote to Mother and said he could not find me anywhere and she was awfully scared. She couldn't think at first who the letter was from and imagined it to be Harry. The Gwen said it must be Ross Morrison.
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Had to go out on a trip, so will finish this now. Honey bunch do you realize what day this is? It's the sixth anniversary of our wedding day.

And out of the sixm, only two of those days have we spent together. I was in the bush with the survey crew in 1913, and '16, '17, '18 have been spent in the army. I wonder if we shall be together this time next year. Sometimes when I think of the long time we have been separated, and of the poor prospects of an early reunion, I feel I would do anything to get back to you. I would willingly lose a limb, an eye, or anything just to be back with you again.

You know I have been sick off and on for the last 7 or 8 months. I've had a terrible cough all the time, and usually have a temperature at night. But I don't feel sick enough to report. It's just that cursed trench fever. Once a fellow gets it, I don't think he will ever be rid of it unless he can get to a dry climate.

Budsie, would you mind sending to Eatons and ask them to forward a catalogue to : George Manser, Cadland House, Newmarket. I promised I would get one for him if possible. He has about 40 horses in training and wants to buy a good stock whip.

I tried to draw a little extra pay last week so that I could send it to you to get a photo portrait taken, but we cannot get any extra pay anymore. Several of the fellows have overdrawn so they had to put a stop to it.

Have you decided to go and stay with 'Ree for awhile? We haven't had any Canadian mail for over three weeks, so you can imagine how much we are looking forward to it.

Well Honey, I have to go out again. Got to take a lunitic over to the asylum. We often get these trips with civilians when it's an emergency case.

Does my wee son have lots to talk about now? I guess he's such a big boy I wouldn't know him. Does he ever ask about his "Thad"? All my love to you my Darling Budsie. Write often please. I love you so my sweetheart, and your letters are the only thing in this monotonous life.

Ever yours, Girlie,

Cis.