France
Sept 23rd 1918
My Dear Mother:
Will write you a few lines tonight while I have the time as I am on duty tomorrow and will be too busy to write. My last letter was to Father dated Sept. 16th although I thought I had written since.
The weather lately has been wet. Raining almost every day but not heavy. It is enough to make it sticky and slippery. It has also been cooler but on the whole the weather is very agreeable and we cannot complain. I have been on duty part of the time but the last few days have been off as we have not had a great deal of work.
Received a letter from Smyth a few days ago and he is O.K. Also received one from Isabel that did not have the Battery number and as a result was delayed about a week. Have had no Canadian mail in the last ten days so expect another soon. Have not been getting many letters from any of you lately so I think some have gone astray. There is still hope. Have moved my kit again today but not very far. Am in my bunk now in one of Fritz's deep dugouts and they are great places so far as safety is concerned.
We have been able to buy Canadian Fruit at the YMCA's the last few weeks, and it is certainly a great treat. The most of it is real good and almost as good as home preserved. Peaches, Strawberries and Pears have been in stock but of course the supply is limited. There is nothing we like better and we hope the supply keeps up. About 35 cts a tin is the price. Canadian biscuits have also been appreciatted. For a long time we could not get any fruit. In the next parcel I wish you would send me a few cheap handkcfs. Think you know what I want. Lose most of them anyway.
Leave is the chief topic with most of us these days and making plans where to go. Expect to get away in a couple of months so will soon have to decide where I will go. May wait to see if Elizabeth gets across and if so I will try and see her. Otherwise think I will go to Scotland and possibly Ireland too. I have a fair balance in my pay book that I can draw and besides that the account I have in England.
I think this is about all I have to write just now so will close.
With love to you all,
Rob