France
Sept. 15, 1917

Dear Folks:

Just a line to let you know I'm here. Things have reached a pretty critical state just now -- we came out of the line last night late and the mail - 3rd class stuff - hasn't been sorted yet. I heard there was an awful grist of parcels and I've got a hunch that there's a registered letter too, so you see I'm sort of on pins -- and I'm durn hungry too - not for pork and beans or mulligan but for something civilized. I'll write tomorrow and let you know what luck I have.

We had a pretty hard march but last night - not so awfully stiff but hard enough to make a fellow want to sleep. When we got here they put us in a damp shed affair so Chief and I and Tubby Hurst hunted up a dug out and its a bear too. Thats where I am not. Hay -- wait a minute - Here's Chief with an armful of parcels--???!!!!---

Have had dinner and feeling a little uncomfortable but it was some dinner. I got two boxes and a roll of magazines -- some haul eh! The first thing I did was open the butter and raspberries and soda biscuits and ate all the fruit and buscuits without a stop. Everything carried O.K. There wasn't a dint in the big box and the other one carried jake too. We're going to cook the peas for supper per instructions and thats something to look forward to The butter is a swell idea. We only get issued with it once a week and then it isn't butter but margerine the Soda buscuits and butter alone were a regular five course dinner. The cigarettes were a treat -- both Chief and I were out of smoke and both broke so we were ripe for a real Canadian player. Then the dollar bill will just fix us up. Its worth 51/2 francs here--almost half our two weeks pay.

All I need now is a letter or two from home -- I haven't got one yet this mail but they'll be along in a day or two.

Yes don't hesitate to send coliflower etc if you have any and can send them without too much trouble. the peas carried O.K. and look like a regular feast.

This is all for now. I'll write later on --

Love to everybody
Bill