France
Nov 5/11/16

Dear Mother.

Just A Line to Let you know I am still in the Land of the Living Hoping this Letter will find you all well. we have been having it pretty tough this Last month but we are out for A few days rest at present. We have been in the trenches for the Last week And I did not get time to write so I have About A dozen Letters to write today. Oh Say I had Some birthday we went into the trenches the night before And I think Fritz knew it was Halloween for I was all in and having A Little doze of in A mud hole And he sent A whiz bang over and blew my Rifle and gass resperator to pieces and buried me half up in clay And I tell you It woke me up A Little bit quicker than what revallry would. The shells were falling five and six at A time all About us for About 2 hours you know Sidney Shard that was up with me for xmas dinner well he was About 10 yd further down the trench and A shell exploded right in the trench beside him. He was wounded in seven places and his spine was broken He died About 8 hours After Our casautaties was pretty heavy I think between 130 and 200. Well I think we are going out of this place pretty soon And we wont be A bit sorry we have been in mud And watter to the Eyes ever since we came here. We Lost our Major he was wound very Serious. Well I think I will close As I have A Lot more Letters to write. But if you are Sending Any parcels be sure and put it either in A tin or wooden box. You dont need to send any tobacca As I smoke cigarettes now and they are cheep here. But you can Send all the eatables you Like As sometimes we are in places where we cant buy anything. I will close with Love to all.

From your Loving son
T.H. Baird