France,
June 5th 18

Dear Mother,

I have had no letters from you since coming into the line this trip, but I think I wrote just before I came in, when I got the parcel.

We are in the front line now and that tea and sugar you sent have been a regular boon. It is pretty hard to get tea up to the front line these days except at night or early in the morning. Just now we are getting it just before dawn. I got a chum of mine to send me some candles up from the horse lines so I could make mine. A candle will boil a mess tin full. We put some dirty rifle rags into an empty bully beef tin and cut the candle up and lay the pieces on top of the rags, set fire to it and then we have a complete Tommy's cooker.

I had a letter from Mrs. Row yesterday and one from her sister the day before so I am pretty well fixed for letters.

My pen has gone dry in the middle of my letter as it generally does. I believe it leaks as I have only used it twice in the last ten days.

Peggy Row is very interested in Dr. Barnardo's home so I am sending you an invitation to a sale and tea in aid of them. Mrs. Row sent it to me.

Well Sydney will soon be of age. We will all be grown up soon and you will be known as an elderly matron. I expect you will be in Vancouver when this letter reaches you so give my love to all the folks and tell them how you found Percy and his wife progressing.

I wish I could see a paper. They say there's some good news. They had a paper come up last night to Company HQ. Well things have been looking rather blue this spring but I suppose they will take a turn now. One thing dear don't you worry about us but make yourself as happy as possible and thank your stars you still have Bessie and Philip at home. Look at all the mothers that have all the children away.

My chum Red McMurphy got a slight wound the other night and went out. I'll bet he is patting himself on the back. Have you met his mother yet?

Well dear shall have to finish up as I have to go on post and want to send this out tonight by the ration wagons.

Give my love to the kids.

Jack