France,
July 22, 1918

Dear Mother:

I am on duty on the exchange on the 10 - 2 shift and want to take advantage of the quiet to write a few lines home. This week's mail has brought me your letter dated June 20 and two parcels dated June 1 and 10, the first containing Scotch cake and ginger snaps, the second ham and tobacco, for all of which my sincerest thanks. Those ginger snaps and Scotch cakes were certainly good and perhaps I didn't enjoy them - oh no ! The ham was also quite a change after army bacon, and, fed up as we are on bacon, we enjoyed it. About parcels I wish you would not send so many for while they are all very welcome there is no need of sending so many. One a week at the most is enough. I know there is a good deal of work in packing them and also expense. We are well fed. The Canadian army is the best fed army in he world so there is really no need of so many extras.

Had a letter from Claude a couple of weeks ago written on the Atlantic so he is in Blighty now. May see him some time soon,. As leave is likely to open up to Blighty any day now and Italian leave is out of the question until at least September I may go to Blighty. One does not feel like postponing leave when it comes especially for Italian leave which is uncertain at the best. A leave in Italy before the latter part of September would be no good because of the heat, while Scotland will be perfect at this time of the year. When I wrote for money I didn't expect leave to open up before the last of August. However if I go to Blighty I will not need it and will put it in the bank in London. Am hoping that
Claude will be able to get leave at the same time so that we will be able to spend it together. If I go to Blighty I plan on going to Aberdeen, then down to Glasgow and Edinburgh. will take about ten days in Scotland then come back to London, spend a day in Horsham and if Claude can't get leave will spend a day or two with him.

We are still having it very quiet but are as usual alert and ready and have absolute confidence in the future. The war news during the last week has been rather encouraging. Am afraid however that we won't get home in 1918. The weather has been rotten during the last few days,. Every day has been showery and disagreeable and of course we are enjoying a good share of mud.

Well, don't think I have much more news tonight so will say good night. Will write you in a few days. all well as usual. I am fine.

Love to all, Harold