Monday July 16th 1917

Somewhere in France

Dear Friend A Mansell

Just a few lines to let you Know I am well a present & hope this finds yourself & family the same & I recived your letter all OK & was sure glad to hear from you. Well the weather is very fine here now & we are Keeping the huns on the move & I think that peace will soon be in sight. But it will take some time I think before the troops are back. But never the less we will blow in some day trusting to the Lord for our safe return. Well I got my Brothers adress & is going to write to & see how he is getting along. I hear he is Drawing water. I have not seen any of the boys lately. I am in the Transport at present Driving the officers miss cart & I be on the road the most of my time & I see a lot of France. We the most of the original men have gone on leave & they will soon be starting on the Draft men & I think my turn will not be long. I well be a year in France on the 27th of October the time soon flies over here. I have not seen any American Troops as yet But I hear there are some in France I was very sorry to hear mr pearce was so low. There will be a big change there I suppose when the boys go Back. Well I had a Bath on Friday & is feeling fine after it. Some of the boys had a boil on there shirts & believe me they had a lot of Causualties ha ha. Well I suppose Karl will soon be in France I sure would like to see him. Well that was some case of charlies alright. I was to church parade yesterday & we had a good sermon. I was thinking yesterday where I was a year ago & we were on the boat coming a cross the ocean & I think we will be going back over it before the year is out yet. Well you said things is very high in price there now. Well I bought a dozen of eggs the other day & it cost 7 cents an egg soon that is a pretty fair price for them. As we can’t buy many of them on 15 franks a pay ha ha. Well as I have not much more to say this time I could say a lot more but we can’t say any thing much about war affairs as the letter may not reach you. I suppose the Crops are looking fine. Oh yes Remember me to Mr. William J. Buck of the Hasting road. Tell him I sure would like to be there to give him a hand with his crop. I have worked for him before & I sure should have Drop him a line before now & will do so the first chance I get. I am out watching me horse while he is out on grass & I brought my writting pad with me which I recived in a parcel from Miss McCleary of Norwood. Well I suppose every body around there are taking advantage of there summer holidays & that Trent-Bridge & Stoney-lake will be booming now how are the potatoes look over there this year. Well you said you were going out on the farm for a few days. Well be easy on the fork handles & leave a few for me when I go Back ha ha. Well I guess I will close for this time hopping to hear from you soon again I remain your ever Friend pte H.J. McMaster 52 Batt Reg. No. 195475. B.E.F. France. Transport. Remember me to the Daughters of the Empire which I recived a parcel from a few days ago. Well Good-bye & I pray for God to Be with us till we meet again. Take a call down on my Aunt & Uncle & tell them I am well & will write them soon.