Sergeant HAIG WRITES
Mr. Frank Lapp has received a letter from, his friend, Mr. Kenneth J. Haig, who is at the front in France. Sergeant Haig, who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. D. S. HAIG, front Road East, left in the first contingent with the B. C. Horse. He writes as follows:
FRANCE,
Close to somewhere else, Feb. 27, 1915
Dear Friend:
Am just having a day's rest after my turn in the trenches and have the good fortune to be in the best billet I have yet had. We have, good floor to sleep on, quite close to the fire, which looks fine after some stables and factories I have been in, but I can 'flop' any place now and sleep like a log.
I must say that my first case of being under fire was not any too pleasant. I was walking, along the street of this town I am in now when the Germans began to shell a building. Zip, a few feet over my head went, 'whistling willie.' There was a chap with me and we started to run and duck when whizz went another, not any more than three yards behind us, and hit the ground and burst. It was a close call and, as unexpected that I must admit that both my chum and myself did not feel at all comfortable.
In the trenches it is not very comfortable, but far more so than I thought. Going in and out is exciting and very dangerous as the snipers keep the bullets whizzing all around all the time. Our bunch, for the first time under fire, although not thirty yards across from the German line, were very cool and even. We as a whole surprised ourselves.
I have not heard of the Cobourg bunch, but they are near here someplace. The people here are very kind to us, and, although some of them are very poor, they will not take money from us for coffee, etc. We buy some meats, etc. and take them to any house at all and have a good square meal for a change.
We are getting to know some French but the C.C.I. helps again and I got on fine. I guess I must stop, as long letters are not very kindly attended to.
Yours sincerely,
KENNETH HAIG