Belgium

Nov 19/18

Dear Mother:-

Just a few lines to say how I'm getting along. The war is over now I suppose. At least the Armistice is signed. I arrived in france in time to go through a night in the line and was sure glad when the news arrived it was over. We were out on rest a few days at Amber chicourt when it finished. There were very few civilians there they had all been driven out. We had fine billets there. The vacant houses were warm they all had stoves and beds. The gardens were full of vegitables so we lived high. We had to parade a little but not very much. Twice we were inspected by different Generals. We left there on Nov 13 and have been moving ever since. We marched through Vallencien and Denain. They are both big cities we stayed in Denain one night. Then moved on into Belgium. We rested at Hornn Belgium for two days. It was [?] a big town about 11 700 population. The people we awfully good to us. There was six of us in the same billet as me. The man was a miner and had two little kids one 12 & the other 6. The sure did wait on us. I used to talk to the little girl as much as I could. I got her to get her school books out and that helped me out quite a bit. I had nearly forgotten all of the French I ever knew. I didnt take long to make them under stand though. I could write it down better than I could speak it. The sure were glad that the Germans were driven out. The little girl gave me a picture of her and her little sister. What do you think of it. The big one is Yvonne. The little one is Elisa. The other names on the back of the picture are the father and mother. We left there yesterday and marched to this place. It is only a small village 9 kilos worth of Mons. I dont know what its name is I dont think it has any. When just leaving Hornn I heard some one shout to me from the crowd watching us leave. It was Lambert Columbian who used to live at the diamond. He went to school with me. I didnt get speaking to him and couldn't see what battalion he was in as we were marching away. We didnt go through Mons but around it. So I dont know what it is like. We are sleeping in a school here It isn't as good as the last billet but it is dry at least. We stay another day here and then move on. That is the news up to date. We were told that the censor was lifted to a certain extent. I haven't got any mail for a while. I think it is held up some were. I heard from Scotland about a week ago They were all fine then. I hope you are still keeping OK. I'm fine myself. I hope the send the Canadians home whenever this peace is settled.

Well Mother I'll close now with best love to Hannah Charles Dad & yourself.

Your loving son

John

#2022192

Pte John H Robertson

7th Batt Canadians

BEF

France