France
July 20

Dear Folks:

Its about 110 in the shade today but I haven't much to keep me busy so I'll make an effort anyway.

Quite a bunch of Canadian mail has been coming in lately - mostly parcels & papers etc and as a result I'm pretty well stocked up just now I've had three parcels from home but one of them was rather aged. I couldn't find the card but it was one with chicken, socks, choclate, butter and some more it it - the chicken was spoiled and spoiled the choclate but the socks & butter were O.K. I was sorry to lose the chicken but its the first I've ever lost or destroyed in one hundred so I guess I haven't any kick coming. I got three rolls of Ed. papers and four rolls of Cosmo's & Posts from the States so you see that aught to hold me till Can mail.

Things have been going jake so far. The war news is looking up - and what we've been looking for too. It puts a different complexion on things dosen't it? I've had a little luck lately and have started my transfer to the R.F.C. The Col. has recommended me and so has the Brig. Gen. The next worries are the Air Board and the Medical exam in Blighty. I don't know of anything wrong with me but quite a few get turned down on their heart I think. Mines alright. I did quite a bit of running this summer and it never bothered me. If I get thru' it will mean a commission, and a course at Bexhill-on-sea or some where and be the 3rd time I will have been to the O.T.C.

Tom Lawlor wrote me the other day and offered to get me a homestead at Spirit River so I immediately took him up. Thats where I want to get one and if he can do it why thats suits me fine. I told him to get in communication with you people so you'll probably hear from him. Take the expenses out of bank account will you?

Leave is still going slow. I'll most likely be in Blighty on my transfer before my turn comes - that is if I get thru'. I aught to make it inside of a month.

Peener, Burnie and Chief are all there so we aught to have quite a reunion when I get leave. If I get over the first ting I get handed to me is two weeks leave so you will be getting a cabel as soon as I have a hunch its coming. I have practically nothing coming from the Army so sent all I have there - minus the homestead expenses will you please? Many thanks for the ten spot Flora - that means a good seat at Drury Lane and one at the "Hip".

I'm going to send a list of the authors I like and some of their books and if you ever run across any of them in cheap binding - why send em will you? Don't go and buy a dozen now. You see what gave me the idea was the two of Zane Grey - "Desert Gold" and "Rainbow Trail". They're great books especially the former. I didn't like the hero of the 2nd so well for he was yellow I tho't. Did you read them?
I'm sending a snap of three of the fellows taken during Sports time. The ones of the Brigade Atheletic team hasn't turned up yet. The three fellows are Charlie Crother, Roger Grant & Fred Spriggs. Fred is making a try for the RFC with me.

I think this all for now. I haven't seen any of the fellows since I wrote last. I got a pretty good report from the Court. The Col. even congratulated me on it.

Love to Everybody Bill

LIST

Bower - B.D. - "Chip of the Flying U"
"Flying U Ranch"
"The Gringos"
"Her Prairie Knight"

Chambers - Robt. W. - "The Danger Dark"
"The Firing Line"

MacGrath - Harold - "Splendid Hazard"
McCutcheon - Geo. Barr - "Nedra"

Phillips - David Graham - "Grain of Dust"

Porter - Jean Stratton - "The Harvester"

Bigger - Earl Derr - "Seven Keys to Baldpate"
"The Agony Columm"

Tracy - Louis - "One Wonderful Night"

Vance - Louise Josephs - "The Fortune Hunter"

White - Stewart Edward - "The Call of the North"
"The Rules of the Game"

Quite a line-up eh! don't send em all tho

WJM