In camp
Sat. Sept 23rd 1916

My dear younger brothers

As you have not written to me for a very long time I thought my written remarks of this afternoon would be O.K. if addressed to you instead of, as usual, to Mother.

My weekly letters from home are rather late arriving this week and I'm hoping when I get back from this tent to my bivouac that several such missives will be waiting for me but at present having no news of your doings except what Pa said he and Mother expected to do last weekend. I feel considerably at a loss what to talk about. I am still having a rest after that rotten trip to the line I told you about. Bye the way I might tell you I have seen the caterpillar machines that the papers talk so much about, in action. My word they are funny affairs. They walk over shell holes and trenches as easily as level ground and spit their fire at the enemy all the way.

I must leave this canteen now which is provided for us by the Boy Scouts of Canada and go back to tea and incidentally to see if I have any mail.

Next day Sunday even

There was absolutely nothing doing in the mail line for me last night nor today and I'm very disappointed because I know the reason exactly and I'm going to growl at all of you in consequence. Simply because I was on the move and absolutely unable to write and therefore you had nothing to reply to, you have just kept waiting before sending me a line. I really can't understand any of you at all for I use a lot of time doing my utmost to keep you posted up when I could enjoy myself other ways and then as soon as its impossible for me to write at all you take a rest, the consequence has been that all the days since being up the line (i.e.) the days I always long for home most I haven't even seen the colour of an envelope.

Now I've had my grouse I'll talk of other things. Last night after tea two pals and myself went over to where two big guns were booming away and we had a very pleasant half hour watching the process of firing those enormous pieces of artillery. Of course we had to stick our fingers in our ears but it was highly interesting and instructive. I should love to describe it all but I mustn't. From there we went to the cinema (provided by Canadian Boy Scouts) and saw Charlie Chaplin among other films and thus had a good laugh (too dark for me to write more at present).

Another day later. Mon. 25th Sept.

From Charlie Chaplin we went over to the YM tent and listened to a fine band concert given by one of our Battalion bands. Between the band pieces different fellows sang and sang some very comical songs chiefly on our doings out here. We then had some choruses led by the band. How I should like you to have that crowd of khaki singing with all their might "Keep the Home fires burning". It went fine I tell you! After the concert we returned to our bivouac and made some cocoa and then went to bed. Yesterday being Sunday we stick to our usual habit by making it a moving day and night found us in the barn outside which I am now writing and finishing this. Naturally the move brought us a great further away from the guns etc than we were before but possibly soon after the arrival of this letter at its delightful destination I shall again be in the thick of the mess when I pray I may be miraculously spared, as I have been this last trip.

Now I must stop and see if I can get this off (weather is beautiful now).

So now bye-bye
Best love to all
I remain
Ever your loving brother

Jack.

Should like to hear from you both.