France
Dec.18th,1917

Dear Folks:

Got a pretty good shipment of mail tonight - 8 letters so am feeling pretty well satisfied. did I tell you about getting a letter from Lee McLellan? I got it a few days ago and certainly enjoyed it. Will answer it soon.

I've been real lucky this week for parcels. Got the one from home with the peas in it and heated them up for supper - in real butter too. Then I got a big tin of oatmeal cookies from M'p'l's that filled me to the roof. I've got an awful failing for oatmeal cookies you know. Also got a parcel of smokes chocolate etc from the Col Grisbache Chaplin of the IODE and a box of eats from Vera Bode. I don't know who it could have been that phoned for my add as the said parcel hasn't put in an appearance yet. I don't think it was Vera for I get papers & magazines from her once in awhile and a sort of semi-annual letter so she must have my add I'll let you know if anything turns up.

I'm up in the Snipers Hut tonight writing this. I came up to finish a map and brought along my leather writing pad. There's a jake fire here and as its about steen degrees below zero out the fire feels good. It's been snowing lately and just now everything is frozen up tight. I'm glad I'm not in the line these days.

Yes I know the girl Bill Hierlihy spoke of. Its Girlie Hill. She had a brother in out B'n.

Mothers letter with the five spot in it arrived Ok and was mighty handy. I went down to the Y and got it changed and then proceeded to have a feed of eggs and chips. Chips are french fried potatoes you know and in almost any hamlet there are a few places like that. They are run mostly by refugees who are interesting to talk to and I get lots of chance to practice my french.

Haven't heard lately how my leave is coming up but I think it will be waiting for me when I get back to the B
n. They aren't giving the fell very much kail now when going on leave so I hope my letter that I wrote for money in gets there in time. I don't expect to be in London much but I can get it sent to Edinburgh OK - as long as I know its in the Bank of Montreal. I want to get a pair of high boots over there & breeches etc. for this country.

This is all tonight. Will let you know the latest about my leave when I hear about it.

Love to everybody

Bill