On May 7th, Mr. Adams wrote Mrs. Buckler as follows:

Well, we are still here resting ourselves up. The only thing that spoils it is that we miss the boys who have gone. There are all kinds of fellows over here now to fill up the gaps. Do you know what some of them said? They said that the First Contingent was the riff-raff of Canada and only too glad to join at once. Is that not awful cheek, after what we have had to put up with at Salisbury Plains all winter and after fighting like we have done here. If these standbacks do half as well as the riff-raff did, they will not do bad.
Well, we have all got those respirators that go over the nose and mouth. We will need them all right before we go into action again. They are a great help when the Germans use that awful gas (Chlorine). We are going to have our much needed bath in the morning. We have not had one for a long time and one gets awfully dirty up in the firing line, lying around night and day in the dirt and fighting. Oh, I do hope that I will live to come back to Canada. Only there does not seem much chance after seeing so many go. Best love to all.
FRED.