My dearest Family,

You have had only the most miserable scrawls from me recently, but in any event you know I am still alive and going strong.

We were in a perfect beast of a jack-pot last week, I came back from [?], reported to the Battalion, and by George the same night was shot into the trenches to look after the Lewis guns for the Brigade. We had been left in a rotten sport by the British troops from whom we had taken over, they were all in and were withdrawn, and the position which they had captured had not been consolidated at all, besides which our left flank was absolutely in the air. There were five mine craters and a German third-line support trench behind them occupied by us, and they were absolutely pounded flat. I have never seen and don't believe there ever has been a more intensive bombardment over a small section. The casualties were pretty heavy and in three days I saw more of war and bloody murder than in all the rest of my time in France. Well, I came through it all fine and am none the worse for the experience; our Battalion I am glad to say was fairly fortunate though the Brigade suffered pretty heavily. I was not attached to the Battalion and got pretty well into the thick of it myself and must say I was fortunate to get out. You will be pleased that is Lewis machine-gun job was merely temporary, there were a bunch of the Brigade D. C. officers away on leave etc. and my name appearing in orders that day as returning from school was what actually landed the job for me. I am back with the Battalion now and expect to stay with them. We have had a good rest for the last week and are ready for active service again; things however are somewhat unsettled and leave has been cancelled again otherwise I should be away now. It was strictly speaking not my turn, but as I had had it pretty hard during the preceding week, the Colonel gave me the preference, just as I had my face all fixed to go and had written all my friends in England, we were told there was nothing ding, and God knows when it will happen again.

I wrote you the other day saying I was safe and well, I also told Claude to cable you in case anything went wrong with the first cable. I then cabled you further accepting Major Gun's proposal. It would be a perfectly lovely change and rest besides giving me quite a large field to work on. A Company is a real responsibility, but I know the ropes fairly well now and probably as much as the ordinary Company commander in Canada at present. Of course I have no idea when it will go through, but I shall be very disappointed if I didn't get the trip home through it. I am just aching to see you all again.

I have seen and captured a number of German prisoners. Capt. Idwell got three the last time we were in and I interviewed another one through an interpreter, it was quite interesting. I also had a chance to pick up souveniers in the shape of helmets etc. but I was literally too tired to carry anything. I may get another chance when I am feeling in better shape.

Extract from letter of his Superior Office to O.C. [?] here.

Frank Mc Long will accept your proposition without hesitation and you will be getting one of the finest and bravest officers that ever stepped. [?] he is a very highly trained machine gunner, and during the recent battle was the only officer left in the Brigade who could handle the Lewis guns - As a matter of fact he was also borrowed by one of the other brigades and just missed being killed or captured by twenty minutes -

14/4/16