Somewhere - in- France
10/9/17

Miss L. James
117 Station St
Belleville Ont

Dear Cousin:- Well Laura have you lost your pen and writing pad or have you hurt your right hand or what is the reason you forgot me. I have not had a letter from you for over a month now. However we will let it pass this time The wicked war still goes on and it looks like another winter to be faced out here The Hun is sure fighting to a finish and no mistake and he still has quite a kick yet. but I think our fellows are getting on his nerves they have a fashion of pulling of little raids on his trenches so as to keep him scared most of the time if he hears or sees anything unusual going on in our lines he calls on his artillery at once and pounds our lines for a while untill his system is settled again. The weather is not to bad at present a few days ago there was a very heavy thunder storm passed over us we were in a tin shanty and the water run across its floor about an inch deep after the storm was over we got shovels and dug a ditch all around it to drain it off Some of the boys were in old dugouts some of which caved in and buried their equipment so they had to hunt another bed for the night. I see by Saturday paper the Fritz airmen are dropping bombs on hospitals it seems that nothing is too bad for them to do these days Poisionous gas is a common thing these days he uses it in shells of course he gets as much as he gives so there is no kick coming No doubt if Ed gets to France he will know something about it as most of the artillerymen know how its used well I must close now hoping this finds you all well as it leaves me the same as usual. Yours Truly

From Earl