Dec. 23rd 1916

Dear Ollie:-

I wrote you the first of this week but forgot to mail it or at least forgot to get stamps the last time I was to town.  We can mail our letters here when we have the stamps.  So thought I might as well burn it and write another as we have a half a day off.  Am still at the ranges.  Don’t’ know how long we will be here for we lose so much time on account of fog.  We lost three days hand running and don’t think will be able to shoot this afternoon for it’s pretty foggy and raining.  I got an awful soaking last night.  We have no bunks, just sleep on the floor.  Well when I went to bed it was a beautiful night.  Well I woke up about four this morning thinking there was something wrong.  Didn’t feel just right.  Well I wasn’t either.  It was raining to beat the cars and there was a hole in the roof and of course I was under it and soaked to the skin.  Mebby you think I didn’t hump myself out of there and to a little cussing.  I sure woke the camp up.  They didn’t seem very sympathetic, thought it was a hell of a joke so it was if it was any one but myself.  But don’t; like to idea rolling them blankets tonight.  Well we have had quite a spell of winter.  The person who tells you that it don’t get cold in Eng. swat them one for me will you for there was frost and snow here for a few days.  I know I had all the clothes on I own and was cold then.  Well day after tomorrow is Xmas so they tell me but it don’t seem like Xmas to me.  It’s no more to than any other day.  I don’t know whether we will get the day off or not.  They say we may not have to shoot that day but it don’t worry me which way it goes.  Would just as soon work as lay around camp.  Didn’t get up in time for breakfast this morning.  The wetting I got made me mad and after I got my blankets hauled into the middle of the floor and my great coat on I wouldn’t get up just to be contrary.  So am some hungry about now.  Oh yes you said you were sending Bob White’s address in you last letter.  Mebby I am losing my eyesight but I failed to find it.  I got the tobacco ok.  Many thanks.  Am sure enjoying it smoking all the time I can get a chance.  Can’t smoke on the range but can chew which I do too much.  Don’t send the socks all at once.  Haven’t got any place to keep them.  Sure one letter will do the both of us no good of wasting time and paper in writing to both of us.  I got my letter the first of the week.  Squire opened it and read it before I got it so you see it makes no difference who it’s addressed to and who gets a hold of them first.  Had a letter from Kelly yesterday.  A dandy one too.  He sure put a good laugh or two.  We don’t hear from home very often.  Mum isn’t much of a hand to write you know.  I wrote to old man over a month ago but haven’t had an answer yet.  Reckon I will try Bob next time but suppose it will be the same.  She won’t answer it I suppose.  Well were dismissed again this noon. No shooting today.  Nothing to do but write and try to keep from freezing.  Wrote Kelly this morning and started this but had to go to dinner before it got it finished so thought would waste some more paper and get my moneys worth out of the postage.  Be sure and make Lib send me one of them pictures you had taken. The bunch of you I mean.  I think I can find a use for it.  If I can get up close enough to stick it over a German trench reckon it will be better than gas.  What you think?  So daddy is putting in a big cut this winter is he?  It must be some timber if he is staying in Barren City.  He will be cutting the older swamps yet for timber.  Sorry to hear Ern Rauding is leaving.  I am thinking old B.W. will find a difference so will daddy for that matter.  Don’t expect to get off on leave again.  Would like to go to Scotland but suppose it won’t make any difference.  Will be just as well off two years form now.  Well I guess I better saw off for this time.  Hope I get that cake before Xmas.  Would sure like to taste a good N.S. cake again.  I can see I am not going to get a chance to get anything to send home.  I wrote Mum to take money enough to buy presents for the bunch.  Wish you would see to it.  Get something decent for all hands.  You better get Mums for she won’t spend enough on herself to buy a good supper.

Nuff is nuff

Jack