France

May 26th, 18

Dear Mother,

Just received your parcel which you posted on April 5th. It has been a long time on the road but it is all the more welcome as I appreciate it twice as much in the country as I would have done in Blighty. The cake is not quite up to your others but it tastes quite good, thanks, as the only cake we ever see now is what comes from Canada. Even the biscuits we buy in the canteen are just plain, no sugar or fruit in them. Sometimes we get some Canadian biscuits from the YMCA but they are soon sold out.

We had a regular picnic yesterday when we all attended the brigade sports. Frank was there and a lot of the other boys that I know. I met two Whitewood boys, Danny McPhail and Bill Troughton. Danny is a corporal and Bill is on the brigade scouts. They both belong to the same battalion that Captain Laban was in. Captain Laban by the way has got a job in England as a company commander. We had baseball, football, tug-of-war and a relay race. Our battalion is still top dog on the Canadian Corps football league but will have to go some to hold the cup this summer. The Alberta battalion is shaping up best at baseball while the BC battalion holds the tug-of-war for the brigade. Our cooks went with us so we had tea to go with our lunch and other truck we bought in the Y.

The mail has just come in and there is a letter for me from Mabel Barker. I had a letter from her last Christmas but did not answer it so I shall have to make a try this time. She tells me that Hughie and Bert are still working away. It's about time one of them was taken into the army.

I have seen Frank two or three times during the last week. He is looking fat and healthy. He has a bike to ride around on so is better off than if he was toting a pack. The weather is still keeping fine with lots of sunshine and I expect it will be for a while.

I have had no word from Dad for a long time. Frank saw him about six weeks ago but he is a long way from us now. I suppose I shall see him before the summer is over.

Well dear I suppose you are looking forward to your trip to the coast, well you should have July, August and September to get settled for winter. How is Bessie getting on in Vancouver?

Is Mamie Hawkes holding down a stenographer's job?

Well dear give my love to all the folks and don't worry if the letters get held up and you dop not get any for a week or twon as the same thing is happening to the letters going to Blighty.

Jack