February 20, 1944

Received your parcel and Xmas cake yesterday. The cake arrived in perfect condition in spite of its long journey. We boiled some tea in the “Dug-out” and as all the boys had contributions from parcels, we had a regular feast.----

The weather has been foul for the last two weeks, and the mud is really something to write home about. We have a lovely “Dug-out” which helps considerably. It is dug down six feet and sandbagged, which makes it very safe. For comfort, we have an improvised stove and empty ammo boxes for seats. Old Fritz hasn’t bothered us much of late, though he quite often lobs a few over our heads. None have landed very close and we always hand back more than we receive, so we don’t worry.  As I sit here to write, I can hear the shells going both ways. Old Gerry’s shells make a kind of hissing, when followed by a bang when they go off. We always feel perfectly safe in our “Funk Hole” and I think we really are too.

Well, Mom, now that I have had a real taste of action, I can only hope that the whole is all over soon. We out here are waiting for the news of a Second Front, as we feel it will hasten the end. I for one feel that I have given enough of my time to my Country. Imagine, five years in September!