Ipswich Suffolk
Sept. 2nd 1917

Dear Mother

Well here it is September again & me still in the hospital doing nothing. I get around a bit on a crutch now but have not been out on them yet, but as today is a lovely day I think I will try & get around to the park this afternoon. It is a lovely place & not very far from here. I cannot put any weight on my right leg yet but I don't think it will be very long ere I can as it seems to be getting stronger all the time. They have begun the torture business on my legs now & believe me I did not know what pain was, before they get after me with massage. It sure is cruel treatment but of course it is necessary to bend these stiff legs. I get twenty minutes every day (barr Sunday) about fifteen rubbing & five trying to force the joints to bend. I say trying, for so far they have made no impression whatever on it except to increase the swelling. The pain only lasts while they are working at it & for a few minutes after but so far it gives me headaches. However the first few days they say are the worst so I have hopes. They say they think my leg should be all right again but that it is very hard to tell how it will be as yet. The ankle hurts me the most but I think after a few days I won't feel it much. Anyway it does not last long & the worst is over.

I received yours of July 29th a few days ago. It was a dandy long letter & the best Ive had for some time. I am sorry you are building so much on my being home soon for I doubt now if I get back until this fool war ends or rather until fhe fools that are running it die or something. Of course I should not have mentioned it but then I thought the Dr. new his job & perhaps he did for my leg has not bent yet. Much as I would like to get home a fairly good leg looks very good to me & it will not likely be so very long before I get home any way. Of course there is still the possibility that I will get back soon after I get a board of Drs, if they do not make this pin of mine too good.

You speak of me writing you cheery letters. Well why shouldn't I for I felt as cheery as could be for life even in bed with a game leg was better than lugging about heavy shells night & day with other heavy shells bursting all over the place. The worst of all is the fact that one is practically a slave to a bunch of fool officers who are out to win distinction for No 1 at the cost of no 2, 3, 4, etc. Don't say I'm
predjudiced for I'm not it is the absolute truth.

Yes I got the socks you sent at Easter but none of the parcels since have reached me. I am glad you wrote to Bert Dickey & as for Robins number it does not matter. Never worry about a fellows no. for it does not make any difference if you know his initials that is plenty. The no. is more for army use than anything else. I have so many letters saying they do not know so & so's no. but if you get his name & Batt on it will catch anyone as there are rarely ever more than one man in a batt of the same name & initials. If there are they soon know each other & fix it up about their mail. I got one letter adressed to Pte. Rae MacKay. Seaford, Sussex, & got it almost as soon as the rest but how they sent it to our Reserve I don't know. The only reason I could see was the postmark Saskatoon on it & ours was Sask. reserve. I suppose you will be curious to know who wrote the letter so I guess I"ll tell you. It was Hilda Maynes if you want to know. If you don't I know Jessie will.

Well this is evening now. I tried to go to the park this afternoon but when I got half way I thought it far enough & came back. I am glad I did too for when I got here I had had enough for one day. I guess I will make it easily enough tomorrow but I like to take things easy, "as you know".

Well Mither I guess I must ring off for now so ta, ta. Love to all.

Lovingly, Rae..

I suppose Jim & Violet have been up there for a few days before going to Sask.
Rae