GUNNER FRED MARKLE WRITES

Mrs. Isaac Markle received the following letter from her son, Fred (from France):

Dear Mother:
Just a few lines to let you know that I am well. I have been waiting for a letter from you for about two weeks now, but have not received it yet, so I thought I had better write when I had the opportunity. I got a card from you, one from Gladys and a letter from Helen about a week ago. Helen spoke of a parcel but I have not received it yet. I also had a letter from Maya short time ago and she said that you wrote about the same time but I have not got it yet. In fact I have had only one letter from you or the two girls since I came back from leave and that is over five weeks ago.

Well I was up to see Austie (Austin Markle of Lt.-Col. Ralston's Battery) a few days ago and the rest of the boys. They are all well and I never saw Austie looking better, I have never heard anything about Frank excepting what you told me. But I suppose you have heard all about him since then, and I hope he is all better again. Well, mother, I think the boys stand a good chance of getting home again now that conscription has passed, and I think they deserve it. I think it will come through all right. I hope so anyway. Well mother, it does not take long for two years to pass in the army. It will be two years the 23rd of the month since I enlisted, but it does not seem that long - the time seems to go very fast. Out of that time I have just about had twenty months in France, so that is not so bad. But I would not take anything and be in Canada at present. Let me know who some of the fellows are who are coming over when you write again.

Well, I enjoyed Christmas very much. It seemed more like it than last year, because it has been pretty cold with a little snow. We were all called back to our unit for dinner and we sure had a dinner, too. Lots of the people at home, I suppose, would be saying 'the poor boys at the front,' but they do not need to think that because we are out here we do not get stuff just the same as they do for that day and if all of the units out here had as good a dinner as we had, I can safely say that we had more than a lot of the people at home, from turkey down to beer.

I noticed one thing last night when we were coming home in a big snow storm in a motor lorry and that was that there were no sleighs on the road, I said when we were coming home, well it is some home all right, a tent. But we have things in pretty good shape for soldiering out here. We have a good fire and good blankets and lots of clothes, so we are not too bad off. The day I saw Austie, I gave him some good warm underwear. They will do him while the cold weather is on, Well Mother, I hope you all enjoyed Christmas at home and that everything is right. I enjoyed myself and do not worry about us. Well, I will say good-bye for this time, hoping this finds you all well at home. With love to all from your son.
FRED.