#910241.
46th Battn. Canadians. France.

Sun. May. 27th 1917

Dear Mother:-

Well I’m still alive & kicking, chiefly when we don’t get a rest on the march back from the bull ring on a scorching hot day. Yesterday was about the hottest day I’ve struck this side of the Atlantic yet & we had used up all our water before we started back from the bull ring & they didn’t give us a chance to get any more. The lads in the little village on the way back made a little money out of it though. They had dandy cold water waiting there for us & they expected a penny for a drink. They usually just stick out their hands for a penny & don’t offer anything in return. They are awful little beggars.

I’m still at the Base Depot, but will likely be going up the line sometime this week. They certainly don’t kill us with work here. The march to & from the bull ring is the hardest part the rest consists chiefly in keeping our ears open & listening. There is very little physical work about it. We get a lot of really worth while advice too. Over in England they told us all sorts of stories about gas. Here they tell us just what it does & what to do in case we do get a little whiff. They give you straight facts here & don’t try & frighten you with all sort of awful stories. I really think I’ve learned more worth while stuff in the week I’ve been here than in the seven or eight weeks I was in Bramshott.

 We get plenty to eat here, though it is mostly real army rations, biscuits & bully beef. We get some bread though & it is real white bread, not the brown stuff you get in England. We had some porridge too this morning but it couldn’t be eaten. I think they only cooked it about 10 mins. I’m getting so that I can drink tea now too. Its the only hot stuff to be got around here.

The fellows have got one of the little French lads all dressed up in full marching order with pack & equipment & two gas helmets & steel helmet & rifle & everything. He’s a sight to behold. Yesterday going out to the bull ring a bunch of them took our rifles & formed up ahead of us, strengthening the Canadian army that much. I can imagine how Thomas would like to do that.

I don’t think I’ve got anything more to say

From.

John.