France
April 1st

Dear Lettie

I wrote to George a few days ago so I thought I would start and write you a letter today. We are out of the trenches at present. I am still in the best of health. We are having wet and cold weather with lots of mud but hope the weather will be fine soon. The last letter I received from you was dated Mar. 10th so I am expecting another some of these days. I have not received the first box you sent yet Mar. 1st. You said you had sent away another one but don't put any more papers in a box because I often see Toronto papers and what you send is old ones. Don't put anything in that you can't eat. Other things are useless. I don't need any socks or anything like that. So don't go to any expense sending me a box for I can manage all right you know. I can't tell you lots of things you ask in your letters so you will have to excuse me for not giving you all the news. I may say I have about $55. to my credit in my pay book at the end of March so you will know what I have and what money you get from father and what you can put it in the bank and pay what comes due until I came back. You will likely have the insurance on the house to pay this next fall and I think the first payment to Brooksbank comes due in October. But you know perhaps better than I so do what you think best. I was sorry to hear about the trouble you had in getting some coke but I suppose the weather will be warmer now so you won't need any. Potatoes must be dear all over for they are scarce here too.

I had a letter from Alex a few days ago. He said he was sending me another box so I think I am doing pretty well. People certainly have been good to me since coming to France. Did you ever get that second photo I sent. Nobody got any photos except you and Alex because I only got three the first time and two the second time. I wish I was home to get a ride in Alex's auto but we hope it won't be long before the war is over and I will be back again. I have been busy answering all my letters before going in the trenches again so will finish this one later. Did I tell you I had a letter from Mr. E. Freeman some time ago. R. McLeod is in hospital just now with blood poisoning in his foot but he will soon be all right again and that Corporal in the picture is there too. He had his ankle sprained and a small bone broke in his foot but he is getting along fine. You were saying about me giving that cocoa to the Y. M. C. A. Well you don't get much from them for nothing. The only thing you get is tea from some of them and writing paper but you pay for anything else. Us soldiers can't buy bread here at any price. Well I will close for the time and hope your box will come along soon. With love to George and yourself from

Dave