France  Nov. 4th 1918.

Dear Auntie,

I guess it must be ages since I wrote a letter to you but still Auntie I know that when I write a letter to anybody at your home that it is read out to all so I know that the news gets to you alright.  However I received your short note that came in Edith’s letter and I was glad to get it as any kind of a note, short or long is very welcome over in this place.  I don’t expect you to write Auntie at all because I know very well that you are not the very best as a correspondent and besides you certainly have no time.  But still I know that your thoughts are with us lads over here all the time.  We are having quite a time of it just now as the lads up forward are moving very fast and holy smokes we have to keep on the hop night and day to keep up with them but a fellow don’t mind putting in all his time when things are going like they are now.  The news must make great reading for the people at home.  It is only to be hoped that the whole thing will be finished some of these days and then it will only be a short time till we will be able to get home and see some of our loved ones at home.  Believe me it would seem great to us to be able to see the faces of our folks again.  I haven’t saw a civilian now for the last two months as the place I am in is nothing but total destruction and a scene of desolation and nobody lives anywhere’s near here for miles.  However I have saw lots of the Civilians that have come out of the towns that the lads have captured.  I had to get trains for them to be loaded into and sent back to safer localities.  I tell you what auntie it makes a fellow think when he sees these poor folks.  All that they have in the world is what they got on their backs.  And there were so many old people amongst them and they were awful tired and quite a number of them sick.  I can parley the French lingo pretty good now so of course had a chat with them as to how there were treated during their four years of captivity by the Germans.  I tell you what, some of them can tell some tales.  All of them tell me that the British prisoners on the other side of the line are very cruelly treated.  Nearly all of the girls and women from about ­15 years up are certainly in some condition.  I can’t explain exactly what I mean in a letter but you can surmise what I mean.  They were all very happy to be back with their friends again.  The weather has not been too bad so far.  It has rained quite a lot lately but that is expected at this time of the year over here.  Tonight is a fine starlight night and Jerry is right overhead now.  He has dropped a couple of bombs very close to here but I am sitting in a box car writing this letter so can’t be bothered getting out to see where he is.  The air is full of our planes so he is getting his share of bombs also.  He can’t get enough to suit us lads over here.  Yesterday there were two little tots of girls here who had just come out of a British Hospital after being treated for Gas.  They were about nine years and three years respectively.  There mother died from the effects of Gas and there father was killed in the war so the grandparents had the two of them.  I had some sweet biscuits in my car so I got them some and the poor little kiddies were surely pleased.  They were nice and clean also as I guess the nurses had washed them all up and combed their hair nicely.  I haven’t heard from Kelvin for a while but I guess he is still kicking around.  I had a few days with him while I was on leave in England after I came down from Scotland.  Well Auntie I haven’t anything more to say just now so will close hoping you are in the best of health from

Your loving Nephew
Robert

R. J. Conners
#2124921

The air sounds like a beehive from the Aeroplanes.