Somewhere in Belgium

Sunday. April 16th 1916
My dear Bill

I have just thought it is about time I sent you a line or two. I received a letter from Mother today just after I had posted one to father in which I gave my new address but I since find that I have left out a part of it and corrected it now reads: - JPS 458189 9th Canadian Machine Gun Company, 60th Battn Section, B.E.F. France.

Tell Mother that the quotation concerning the Deserted House is from Tennyson's Poem "The Deserted House" known as the most perfect metaphor in Poetry or Prose that is known.

Well, Bill, it's Palm Sunday isn't it and it finds me sitting with my back to a tree in a little wood or copse with my feet touching the babbling waters of a little stream the banks of which are bespangled with the blue of a multitude of violets. It is a glorious afternoon but all the time the distant roar and rumble of the guns together with the continual hum of aeroplane after aeroplane passing makes one forget the Spring time and its glory and bring to mind, in its place, the many experiences I have had during my last visit to the trenches. These I must leave for the time being and keep them for the time when I can tell you about them by word of mouth. May that blessed time soon come.

When you get a chance Bill will you type me a letter telling all about your thumb, how Mr. Field is, how the garden looks now and what the Guild is doing. You will won't you old sport.

I hope Minnie has a good time at Easter with Ena at Southend.

Now must stop so with best love

Your affectionate brother

Jack