France 1/7/18

Dear Brother

I received your letter of the 3rd last week nearly two months on the trip well better late than never. Although it is over a month since I heard from home. I hope this finds you all well as it leaves me so at present we are still at the rest camp but we will be moving pretty soon a person soon gets tired staying in the same old place. We work half a day and rest the other half of the day. We are not far from the ocean so we all went for swim on the 4th it was rather a windy day but the water I found rather warmer than up the beach.

We were air raided several times but no harm done best time is when the moon is on the wane. (We cannot add our letters at the end. (2020829 7th Battallion B.E.F. France) Just before it rises of course the sky has to be clear.

It is two bad the dogs are killing the sheep again you can't always be up watching for the only way is to shoot them all and then you are sure to get the right one. The assigned pay Pa should get on the first of July as it goes into effect on the first of June I don't know who you will make enquire to about it of course as it should be sent without any asking for as a [?] soldier certainly earns it. Concerning that insurance policy don't forget to have those papers signed. I would like to get some maple sugar in the lump that is if you can get it any way send me some chocolate bars as it is scarce here, while we are in France we get 50 francs a month that is ten dollars the rest is held back in Eng.

Borden came to camp the other day all the cons. were at work so we did not see him I understand he promised the boys of long service a trip home when we come over but he has the first time to make his word good to the people. I am not sorry I did not see him and there is quite a few of the same mind another thing he promised them was he would not conscript the last son of the family when they were other sons of the same family in the service but I have run across several over here they are not pleased with it although they voted for it. Oh well the war wont last much longer with the states in it now and all fresh men at that, of course Germany is beat but it is something to make her quit. There is quite a lot of chinamen here There contract call for 10 hrs a day and all. Found franc is [?] here and $10 is paid to there families in China contract is for three years the government can discharge them by giving six months notice and free passage back.

I received a letter from David wife yesterday they are sending me a parcel in a day or two. By the time this reaches you I suppose you will be there praying I judge from your letter that you must have had an early spring with love to all from

Sam

How is Jim getting along.
Don't forget to put on my number
I have written several letters which were not answered