France
July 22/15
My dear Mrs Gray:
Just a line to thank you for your long letter. I hope Jack does not come back any more. It is a good deal better where we are now, but lots of fighting yet. It may seem strange to you but I was really pleased when I heard from Major Jack Leckie that Jack was wounded, on that occasion it was almost sure for everybody to get hit somewhere, I was at the end of the road, below our dressing station on the 24th nearly all day, standing by with ammunition. I saw lots of the 16th officers coming out and being carried out after dark but I did not see Jack. There is still a ray of hope for Donald Moore. He is reported as on June 27th wounded at Queen Alexandra Hosp London. I went there but could find no trace of him. I wrote to Jack Diamond of New West who is wounded there and asked him to trace him if at all possible. He must be very badly wounded or something.
We are up near where Boggs was killed. I went down to the Church the other day and saw his grave, it is quite all right, some body has planted ivy and roses and some old fashioned boxwood on it. I asked a man who was working in the Cemetry if he knew who fixed it up and he said it was a French peasant girl who looks after a row of officers graves just by Lt Boggs. Anyhow it is being well cared for in our long absence. I also went to see Lt Bell Irvings grave and it was all knocked to pieces, cross and all a shell had burst right on it. So I am making arrangements with Can Eng of which he was one to make a strong cross and I will go down with a small fatigue party and fix it.
I am feeling pretty good, but getting rather nervous. Doctor says it is a type of malaria brought on by mosquito bites, they are very bad here and a different type from the West Coast tribe. I think different from Doctor, I think it is the incessant noise and excitement of uncertainty that does it. I wish it was all over and that we were back to B.C. again.
With kind regards and sincerely hoping that Jacks arm will keep him away for a while yet.
Yours truly
JM Macmillan
Original Scans
