France
April 19/16

My Dear Father,

I rec your welcome letter today dated Mar 29th and also Mothers and was very glad to hear from you and take your advise on the smoking question. I have though different of it and have stopped smoking. I didn't smoke very much so it is not hard to stop it.

At present we are out in rest billets and are getting along splendid. It has been raining for the last few days and we haven't been doing much but eating and sleeping. There is a Y.M.C.A. here where we can buy things to eat and it doesn't cost so much to buy things here as it does from France and Belgium peasants. I got an interesting letter from Miss [?] today and she was telling me that Wpg is very dull at the present time.

I am glad to hear that you are having good success [?] your pigs and calves. Thirteen rows will certainly be too many to milk and sic is about the right number to milk.

I am sorry to hear that the trains were blocked again as it certainly delays the mail on both sides. I am have received all the parcel that Mother has sent and also that hook. I guess I told her about getting them in a few letters ago and she hasn't rec the letter yet if Mother isn't mention about rec my letters as I don't know whether you get them or not and I write a green envelope home every week and some lines a white envelope. We only get issued with one green envelope every week and it is nearly time for another issue. MacWoods is in the same company as I am now. He got transferred a short time ago but [?] is still in number two company and is a signaler so there isn't much chance for him to get back. I rec the letters from home very regular every week and often times [?]. It just took three weeks for this letter to come and I thik that is about the shortest time as it always takes some time after it reaches France to be sorted in battalions and then in companies again. It is too bad about the horses being sick with the distemper and I hope you do not lose any of them and no more take it. Don't worry too much about me because I have kind of a thought that I'm coming thro alright, although a person never knows. I am so tall that I hope to keep my head pretty well [?] down and I ever take any chances with keeping it up . I saw Jimmy Deeks the other day. He is [?] near us and has been in France for seven months and hasn't got a scratch yet. How does Frank feel after his [?] college. It certainly will do him good. Well Father this is about all the news I have this time. Will write Mother in a day or two.
With love to all.
From your loving son
James