“France”

Jan 5/17

Dear Marie

I received your letter some time ago, but I know you will pardon me for not having answered it sooner.

Well Marie I can't say very much about your or rather our recent sadness & misfortune But Marie you know how I feel about it. It hits us all very hard.

I thank you for your cards & letter, & ghee! but it was a dandy box. Yes the sox were fine thank you. No! I have never met Ted & Rolph. What Bn. or Bde. do they belong to now.

I cant say anything unusual about myself. Im feeling, just all right. I think I'm used to conditions out here now. We all have a touch of fever then we get inured, I have had my sick spell, but I hope I'm good till Spring anyway. Then I hope we wont be long in coming home. I don't think I'm divulging anything when I say I expect big things in the Spring

So far things have been running smoothly, but you know there is often a storm cloud in a clear sky, & Sometimes we get wet. Get me Marie?

I was picking buttercups & dandelions the other day. Think of it, flowers in January. We have not had very much rain so far. I have a new job now I'm not on a gun crew. I'm a dispatch runner. Take dispatches and wires to different headqtrs in the trenches. It's all right when things are quiet, but it's going to be some hot job when things are going on, when trenches are blown, in and you have to take to the open. Take it from me, Marie I can give him a run for his money. There is always one consolation. No matter how hard Fritzy is pounding us, no matter how many casualties we have, you may be sure the Deutcher has it ten times greater. For every shell he puts over, we put over ten. We've got him skinned alive now, ever since last July last year, weve had it over him in ammunition & planes. Its a case now of “Soak it to him Kelly”. I could tell you a whole lot about it, but I don't want to get pinched.

How is everything in Toronto. I received a nice letter from Mrs. Ross recently. Give my Love to Aunt Kate Uncle Henry Vic & hows my “sweety heart” & Jack.

Love

Joe