France,
May 25, 1917.

Dear Father,

Just a few minutes ago I received your letter of April 14 acknowledging the receipt of mine explaining my stay in England. I was certainly glad to get your letter.

I am over in France now and I firmly believe that the only reason I got away from England was that my chance came while our Adjutant was away. I really believe that I would have got away earlier if it had not been for him. I was doing useful work in the Reserve Bn. and they were shipping me about on courses till altogether I was in shape to be mighty useful to them. But I managed to get away and am certainly very glad.

Here I’m doing much the same work that we did in England. But there is this difference, that here you feel that you’re just making yourself as useful as possible for a short time before you yourself are called up to the line. Here I am in charge of the training of all the men we take in.

I hear from Mina quite frequently, and she’s certainly a little thoroughbred for she writes such breezy and cheerful letters when she has every reason to feel the opposite. I hope that she may have a good rest in England.

How do you people intend to spend the summer. I hope that in some way or other you may manage to make mother have a good rest.

Spring seems to be coming very late in Canada this year. In the West, they must be nearly a month behind. That’s going to be hard when labour is so scarce.

Well I’d better close this letter now. Excuse the awful scrawl, for my pen is very scratchy.

Give my love to all.

Your son,
Grant Mowat.