Belgium.
apr. 4. 1916

Miss Maudie Carter
Clinton Ont.

My Dearest Maudie:-

Just a few lines in answer to your most welcome letter which I rec. last night, I received two, one of the 9.^th and one 17.^th so I was pretty lucky to get them we are having very good weather out here now for a change, and I suppose you will be having spring weather over there by now “oh” say do you remember last Easter, just a year ago to-day if I remember right gee I wish I was in the same place now, but there is some difference between where I was then and where I am now for I am sitting in a dugout behind the firing line. after spending twenty four hour’s in no mans land in a crater which is only about fifty yards from the German front line, so am having twenty four hours rest.

you ask me if it was the same Nesbitt that came with us, yes it was him and from what I can hear he will soon be back in Canada for he was wounded in the foot and will likely be home for the rest of his time. you seem to be having lots of fun with the Sgt. and I don’t’ blame you for you may just as well if you can, I wish I could see him so I could tell you what I think of him, now don’t think I am trying to rub it in because I am not only I have to write something and news is scarce over here, I could write lots but they don’t allow us to use those green envelopes any more so I have to be careful what I say and how I say it. you can tell Bill if he ever gets over here to be sure and hunt me up for I sure would be glad to see him but I hope he never has to come. Say do you realy mean what you say about what you will do when I come back, are you realy going to punish me like that I wouldn’t mind so much if you would only let off long enough for me to eat for I have developed some appetite since I came out here so I would at least want one meal a day. yes I had a letter from Mabel and she was telling me Ed had enlisted so I guess if he has to come he will have to leave the wife behind unless he does like T. Britton and sends her on ahead, say that is some joke on Britton but it serves him right. well I think I will close for this time and I hope you will excuse me for sending such a short letter after getting two good long ones last night but I will [inserted: “write”] again pretty soon I suppose you will be wondering what is wrong now as I have not written for nearly two weeks but I will try to write oftener after this. well I hope your father will soon be alright and that he will be none the worse after his bad spell remember me to the boys around. I think all the rest of the Clinton boys are O.K. for I saw them all the day we came in here. well I will say Good-bye for the present & I hope your dreams will soon come true. as ever

“yours only”
Tom

#400146 Pte Tom Garton
Grenade Company
1st Canadian Battalion
France

P.S. I don’t know Minnie Fossitt but have saw her, well I wish her luck anyway, but that is going some “eh.”