France
April 10th 1918

My Dear Mother:

I am rather late in writing this time but on account of some special work I have been doing I have not had a chance to write until now. Received a Canadian mail about 5 days ago and also a few more letters this morning and hope to get a few more tonight or tomorrow. I was up ahead for a couple of days and after that packed up and came to the place I am at now. We are out of reach of small shells here and it is more or less quiet and I have little work to do in the office. Had a letter from Smyth this morning and he is now over and not far from me but I do not know exactly where, but I hope to see him one of these days.

The box has not arrived yet. I mean the one sent in March but it will be here soon now I expect. Will let you know how the butter keeps and if I want any more. We get a good supply of Margarine and it is very good, in fact we think it is butter all the time. I guess because we are now so used to the taste of it. It will be something new in Canada and I see they are using large quantities of it. So another 64th draft has left. They are doing very good. Notice some officers have returned to Guelph lately among them Lett who brought over the 64th draft that left before I did and on which Marshall came. I am out of our dugout at present and we are getting a home made here but it will not be as nice as the one we left. However expect I will only be here temporarily. The day after I left the dugout they moved to another one which is about the same size but a little better and safer. I have not been in it yet but there will be room for me if I go back. At present we are close to the ridge that was taken just a year ago. Yesterday I was over a small part of it and saw some of the old trenches and mine craters. It is a mass of shell holes and tunnels run under it in several places.

We were paid again a few days ago which is handy but it is hard to buy much canned fruit these days as there is such a demand and stocks do not last long. Will likely have a chance to get back to one of the towns soon and get anything I want. Apparently they have had some hard fighting south but there is no doubt they can hold them. While it is lively here sometimes we are not much affected. Some of our boys were ready to board ship to go on leave and were turned back. The papers say many were returned when they had practically reached their destination in England.

We have had a little rain lately and it is rather raw. Also have plenty of mud here which makes it a little unpleasant.

So Rev. Little has already left. Expect many would be sorry to see him leave. I guess he helped Chalmers along considerably even though he may have displeased some people.

Apparently Elizabeth is getting along fine in Great Falls and is meeting quite a few people. She sent me a fine leather waistcoat which is warm and good to break the wind and fits under my tunic very good. Also sent me a good supply of chocolate and gums so for a week or so I was well supplied along these lines. Also have word from Isabel that she has sent a box of Chocolates so I have them to look forward to also. About ten days ago all the battery got a donation of a box lump Maple Sugar. It was furnished by the Canadian War Contingencies Association at Toronto and certainly tasted good as it was of the pure stuff. They send quite a few supplies from time to time and we sometimes get a box from them.

Suppose you will be through the most of the winter now and coal will not be so much of a necessity. What time of the year do you intend visiting the north. Expect you will be spending most of the summer there as usual. I often wish I had a chance to do some trout fishing but cannot expect it for a time anyway. All the streams around here are polluted and anyway the gas kills most of the fish. You would notice by the papers where we sent over a large quantity of gas a couple of weeks ago. It is bad stuff if you get in the thick of it. Our masks are much better than the enemies so if we put ours on in time there is little danger. They are not very nice to wear but still bearable. Quite a few of the 64th are around these parts now and Kenny who was a Sergt. and was up to tea the day before I left is also over now, but I have not seen him.

Well I guess this is about all the news at present. Will try and write earlier next time. Hope you are all well,

With love to all
Rob