France,
October 1, 1917

My Darling Flo.

Just a few more lines to let you know that I am quite well and in good spirits, hoping you are the same. It is so long since I received any mail from you, that sometimes I think I am out of communication with you. But still I guess by all accounts it is the same with mail from me. But that is not any fault of ours dear and I suppose we have to put up with it. I got a parcel from your soldiers club yesterday and I am sure it is very good of the members for sending the parcels to the boys. I don't know what we should do if there were no girls. That is what I thought when I received that parcel, for just at the time I got it I was feeling down in the dumps. To receive any kind of mail from home makes me feel happy, it is most cheering. Well Flo I heard that Bill Bourne is likely to be home now. I am sure I envy him for I can just imagine what a time a fellow will be able to have on returning home and I often wonder shall I ever get back after being away so long. But I suppose as the old saying goes, my time is sure to come. Any way I hope so and may it come soon for I long to get back home more and more every day. I guess there is quite a bit more work to be done by me yet before this thing is all over and they keep us busy these day with one thing or another.

I have had some great experiences lately, some I shall never forget, but I am sorry to say I cannot relate them here on account of Mr. Censor. In name it is the Great Adventure a fellow being out here. I have not met Albert yet, but I hope to see him before long. I had a few lines from him and he likes it so far. He is with the third field ambulance and is with quite a few fellows I know. Say Billy Heterman is over with the sixth field ambulance. I think nearly all the old Taplow boys are over now making up for lost time. Although we all did good work in England while we were there I would hate to have got back to Canada without being over in France. One of the fellows that was at Taplow joined the R.A.F. and was killed while learning to fly in England. There are quite a few of our boys here that are transferred to the R.A.F. but myself I would rather have one foot on the ground anyway I don't mind taking a chance at anything so long as I stand on the ground. I am sorry that one fellow is going because he is the number four in charge of the stretcher squad I am on. We are going to try to have a photo taken of our squad before he goes, it is the ever ready number two squad. Say the section I am in had photo taken the other day with a trophy of which we are the holders of the all round unit sports but I am sorry to say they are not done in time for me to send one with this letter, but I will send one in the next. Say I met a fellow I know the other day who is going on leave to Canada after three years in the army. I hope it is true they send them on leave after three as my turn will soon be here.

I had a letter from my dad yesterday and he wished to be remembered to you. He also said he did not know what you would think of the photo I sent you. I sent him one and he said he did not know me as I was looking thin in the face. I don't know why I should as I never felt better in my life than I do now both for health and physic. But at times I get down in the dumps. I guess it is just a little lonesome feeling I get at times. But I guess dear that will all be over when I get back eh. I wonder who will be the next of us to get home. I really think Jack ought to now and I hope he does. But I think I am for the duration, that is if the luck stays with me that I have had so far and I have been in some pretty warm corners and then got through. Well dear I guess this will be all this time so I must close hoping this will find you in the best of health and spirits as it leave me tonight. So good night and god bless you and keep you safe.

For the girl I love,
I am your true and loving sweetheart

Charlie