Somewhere in France Oct 2nd 1916

Dear sister Elsie,
got your letter tonight so will try to answer it while I feel that way, but there isn't much to write about had one from Kathleen Loney last night Sadie sent a few Owen Sound papers and an indelible pencil the other day, saw in one of them where Dunk had gotten a letter from me, (nice to get your name in the paper (eh what) came pretty near getting it put in the paper again, didn't get your picture soon enough, got hit in the back with a piece of shrapnel just knocked the wind out of me and layed off drill a couple of days (lucky kid) Well Elsie my best friend since joining the army, Harry Lachie was killed in action the other day, another of the unlucky ones) Mat Carmical was wounded in the same scrap, when I got the little chunk: also one of the fellows I worked with at Heward last fall.
had a letter from mother a few days ago she was soon leaving for home will likely be there now. we are having very changeable weather just now, rains every other day. a steady drizzle today and it gets quite cold at night, we were going by fast time all summer but were put back an hour yesterday. got payed today about four oclock fifteen Francs ($3) and I've spent five Francs already on eats chewing gum and stuff will have to go easy for the next fourteen days if I can make it stand that long. Sadie looks awful thin in that picture, Tom has a fine moustache but would look better with one that you see on some of The soldiers masks. I don't know the two sitting behind Tom and Jim. we see all kind of goats over here most of the farmers have one, and lots of the Battns have them for mascots. We have one with horns about a foot and a half long, he was wounded once and has a gold stripe on his blanket. don't trim the kids for smoking I smoke cigarettes now and again and you can't lick me, just try when I get back, well this is all for now
write soon to your brother Keith
Pte W.K. Dornan