Oct. 16, 1916

Dear Lola,

Just a few lines in answer to your most welcome parcel which I received this morning believe me they were some dates to the last bit of fruit I have tasted since I have been here and that is a year now since I came to France say Lola where is your Brother Fred if you would send me his address what I mean is his number and what Battry he is in. I could see him because I could find him easily I see Norman Anderson from Brampton quite often I have not seen him since we left Belgium there are quite a number of Brampton Boys here and what is left of us we see one another quite often.

I see my two Brothers quite often I wouldn't mind being home for Christmas this year. I guess we will come home some time I have got a pretty good job now I am in the G.M. Stores we put up rations for the boys in the line and serve out clothing to them when they come out of trenches believe me I put in a hard time of it last Winter up the line I have been recommended for a D.C.M. I don't know if I will get it or not when we were in the Craters all our lads were wounded and killed me and a few more held it when old Fritz came over and attack us I was on the Machine Gun and believe me if he didn't beat it well I don't there was not many got back to their trench. I was in there for five night & days the longest the companies stay in was twenty-five hours I was in the Machine gun section and we had to stay in the line and when we were in another part of the line I fetch a fellow in wounded old Fritz saw me but he did not shoot at me it was at night when this lad got wounded he was in a kind of a listening post when he was wounded and I was in another listening post I was relieved for two hour when he was wounded and you could hear him groaning and the sergeant said who will go and fetch him in. Know body seem anxious to go through the water. It was last Winter it was cold and wet so I said I would. I was the youngest lad in the trench so I went out over the top and it was pretty close to the Germans trench and Fritz could here him groaning too and he kept shooting up flares and he could see me going for him and lucky he did not shoot at me and when all the men older than me saw I went out they all came and helped me him he was dieing fast poor fellow he is gone now w[h]ere many and many of our poor lad have gone God Bless them. Well Lola I must close now with the best of Love to all. Say Lola I have a photo of Fred I got from Mrs. Smalldridy I would like one of you self. I will be in London pretty soon and I will send you one of my-self don't for-get now one of your self. Good-Bye Lola.

I Remain Your Sincere Friend
Alexander Booker
France