France
Dec 12/16

Dear Mother:-

I got your ever welcome letter to-day and I am glad everybody is well and paw has gone Back to work. I hope he will Be able to stand it altho it will need to Be an easy job. yes I suppose you hear all sorts of things about us Been in France maby long before we left England. But we were long enough getting started But we got here at last anyway. I heard that some of the Best had come over too But I don't know wheather it is True or not. Some of them I think are still there But frome this on you people will know as much about Them as we do. all the Boys that are here are fine and like it all Right we are still togather yet and wont be Broke up anymore noe. we are a long ways from the trenches now altho we can still heart the big guns sometimes yet. we dont know when we will go into the trenches But I will try and let you know as soon as I know myself if I can. But I dont think it will Be for sometime yet. of course we never know.

Well I sure would like to spend Christmas at home This year But I do hope that I will Be there for next year anyway. I dont know where we will Be on Xmas day only Somewhere in France that is all. But I guess we will get as good as they can possibly give us. we are getting fed good now and They are doing all They can to make us comfortable. Now say I dont want you to worry at all about us for we are allright and I will write as often as I can. only when I am in the trenches I wont be able to write then. But you are worring about some days without hearing from me. But dont worry about that till that time comes. I write as often as I can. But when we are on the move we cant write and when we are in the trenches. So dont worry at all we are quite comfortable here. Only send the gloves. the mits we get are not much good and send the sox too But for everything else we are allright. we get our tobacco issued to us free so we are all Right

I had a letter from Anna to-day and she mentioned the Box again. Well send me some cake. You know it tastes a goodeal Better when we know it is from home and send me a 25¢ box of Ciollets tablets for I have the soure stomache near all the time and you cant get them here we have an awfull time when we go into a store to try and make them understand what we want I dont go into any only when I really have to. we got a little extra money this pay But I cant get anything to send only Cards and I dont know wheather I can get them or not even. now I dont want you to do so much worring for we are allright and you can imigene all sorts of things happening to us. I have not heard from Jim for a long time I wrote a letter to him the other day we got some old chum from the orange and True Blue lodge to-day. But I dont care so much about The tobacco now for we get it given to us But hardly enough to do Sometimes we dont get chewing at all for it is only 1 man out of every 10 that chews and I only do when I cant smoke and then it gives me the heart burn.

I havnt written to Mrs. Thorrot yet But I will and see if I get any answer and if I get a pass I can go and see her from here. I guess there must be some of my cousins amoung the Australians allright But I could never find Them altho if I ever hear the name Thorburn you may be sure I will find out who he is and where he comes from. we dont see many of them over here But There is quite a lot in England well you may be sure I will know how to appreciate home when I get Back there again. Altho we are used for Better here Then I ever thought we would.

We have had dandy weather all along it Snowed a little today But not much and it is not cold at all. well I will soon have to close or They will Think it is a news paper I am writing. I will write again in a few days so I will say good Bye. Merry Xmas to all of you. I wish I was there to make it a little more merry.

Best love to all,

John