No.20

Sept. 7th Fri. 1917

Dear Mother:-

Well I guess it’s about time I was writing again, tho’ there’s next to nothing to write about. It is just four weeks today since I got a letter from you and 3½ weeks since I got a parcel. There certainly is a hold up somewhere. By the way I think it would be a good idea if you were to register all the parcels you send to make sure of their getting here.

I sent you a whiz bang the day we went up the line. We are still there, having a pretty easy time of it this time. We are just in supports, quite a piece behind the front line. For a while we were in a dugout, that was quite safe against either shells or gas. However no shells came our way, except gas shells. We got quite a lot of gas. However we moved from there & are now in funk holes, that are pretty good. Fritz hasn’t treated us to any shells here either. We can get lots of water this time, not like the last time up the line, but this time the food is rather short. I guess we’ll get along tho’. I managed to get some bully from another bunch of fellows near us, & I’ve got some mustard, & bully & mustard don’t taste too rotten at all. It’s awful tho’ to think of what we live on now & what we lived on in Canada. For supper we usually get one piece of bread, maybe butter, a cup of tea, & some jam. Sometimes we get a hunk of cheese too. However, it’s all in a life time.

We are just doing night work parties around here, none of them very hard or long. Then we have the whole day to sleep. I’ve had all kinds of time to do a lot of writing, but this is the first letter I’ve got started at since we came up the line – just too lazy, I guess. We have had fine weather so far, with the exception of last night. A big thunder storm just missed us & we just got a little sprinkle. The rest of the time it has been lovely & bright all the time.

You might send me another box of Jam Bisk next opportunity. Also a tube of shaving cream. And don’t forget those scissors I spoke of before, good big heavy ones, with blunt points. I guess that’s all I want just now.

I guess that’s all I’ve got to say just now too. It’s an awfully monotonous life this, just eating & sleeping & doing a little work occasionally, & never seeming to get anything done at all.

Well I’ll quit.

John.