France
May 18/18

Dear Cath:

The whole batt. was paraded down to the river for a swim this afternoon & believe me we had some swim too for this has been the hottest day we've had this year - just like midsummer) and when I got back to camp I found your letter of Apr 19th & also one written by Margaret on the same day waiting for me. Day before yesterday I rec'd the one you wrote on the 10th. Am glad to hear you had such a fine holiday at Easter but I expect that when this reaches you you'll be getting ready for another that will be a whole lot more enjoyable. Here's wishing you all kinds of luck on your finals if any luck is necessary to get you your certificate - which I doubt very much.

So you got the snaps O.K. Glad to hear they pleased you. That one taken at the Eau is an old timer all right and I really don't know where I did pick it up. But I tho't it was too good to lose and sent it along to you for safe-keeping. Wonder if that was taken the time Miss Breckon held me all the way home. Remember that little incident?

So you heard Alina Gluck sure you would enjoy the concert. Am surprised at what you say regarding the operas in Toronto this year though for I thought they put on some good concerts there as a rule. There were some pretty good ones running the winter I was there. Whit & I heard Il Trovatore at the Royal one night and it was grand.

So you are giving up housekeeping eh? Well it really doesn't matter much as far as your address is concerned for I guess I'll be putting Ridgetown on all you letters now for the next couple of months or so at least, unless of course you don't intend having "Shady Nook" for your headquarters during the summer.

That sure was an amusing epistle I got from Margs. She tells me she trimmed "six kids" in succession one day for throwing stones & nearly killing a little girl. How her poor little arm must have ached! But perhaps you'll have the same pleasure yourself some day so don't you laugh.

Mark Shaw even condescended to write me not long ago. He says Mickle has had to give up his profession as a "skilled bean collector" in favour of the less profitable but much more exciting occupation of dodging Krupp's hardware & digging trenches. Quite a difference between the two but I think he'll find the experience quite beneficial.

But I have strong hopes that this bunch being called up now will never have the pleasure of taking a shot at a greycoat. Just seem to have a hunch some way or other that next Xmas will see me with my feet under the family table showing the folks how the troops used to clean up on their Xmas dinner in France.

Just at present we're away back almost out of sound of the guns having a dandy rest. And the weather lately has been glorious. The days have been pretty warm but the evenings lovely. The country around here is very pretty too - rolling fields all green for the crops are coming on dandy. Of course the trees are all out in full leaf too now. A fellow can almost enjoy soldiering when the weather's like this.

Two days ago we had a Brigade Athletic meet and it seemed just like being back at school again. There were races, jumping, etc., and the meet was a great success. You see I think the majority of the men out here are about my own age & a whole lot of them college & high school students so you can imagine that some of them are good athletes. But I don't think any of them could have touched Harry O'Neill. I couldn't help thinking what a great day it would have been for him. Our batt. beat the 13th at baseball by a score of 12 - 7. It was a great game too.

Well now I've about gone the limit for it's getting late & I'm determined to write to that sister of yours before I close mine yes ce soir. I may have a chance to write you again in a few days so will draw this edition to a conclusion.

As ever
Sincerely yours,
Les.