France April 17

Dear Dad:-
When we were out on our rest, the old lady, where we lived, said the war would be over on April 2nd is here but the war still goes on.

Last fall just before the 15th September, we were billeted in a barn a great many fellows had written their names and the time they thought the war would end. It varied from one month to two years from Sept. I put down the 12th of July 1912. By the look of things now it should finish about then.
Our mail was not coming from Canada at all for about two weeks but more that it has started again, we are all getting our shore. Mother has often said that she is glad when I get a parcel out of the trenches. Well a parcel anytime fills up a big empty spot and a parcel in the trenches is better than two out of the trenches. It makes no difference when letters come, we are always looking for them.

Wes has just been in. His company is in the same came that we are Three of our companies are now in the came and the three kitchens also, so you can see it is quite a size.

Most of the boys who went decoy on that course at the line Leonard went are back but he is still away for some reason or other. I heard from him about one week after he left but not since.

Mason Scott got a parcel last night, but all that's left now is the tin box. He has just gone out on a fatigue. Most of the fatigues now consist of shoveling out the trenches or emptying sand bags. The engineers are making a large dressing station and we empty the bag for them- Here's the fatigue party back. They have been waiting in the trench half an hour for the engineer. They got twisted around in the trenches but finally got where they wanted to go. After waiting half an hour for the engineer and then as their was no signs of him they came home. Its all right if a large party has to wait for the engineer but he'll kick up a rumpus if we keep him waiting.

Poor old Heimic is sure getting pounded these days. A Canadian paper which came the other day, says the British artillery is gathering more and more active and it certainly is. Well good luck to it.
I hope you are all well at home.
Remember me to all.
Goodbye
Your loving son,
Gordon.
Friday April 6/17 still o.k. Received parcel dated feb 26th.