Oct 23/16

Dearest Mother,

Just last night I received your letter so redocent with your love that I had to hold hard to keep from crying for just one long hug from you. We are all so unresponsive that it seems to me that we have missed the best part of life through refusing to acknowledge our love for one another and at times I did so long for one word of love or one kiss from any of you.

Never mind though. Just wait till I get home. Wont I hug you and kiss you all. Yes Dear Old Dad too. Just wait and watch me.
Did I tell you sometime ago that I expected to be transferred to "A" Company as second in Command to Major Shipman? and in place of Capt Hesson. Of course I did not like the idea as it really meant pulling down Shipmans reputation or saving his at the expense of my own. So I told the O.C. I should rather stay in B Company. It dropped there for some time during which poor old Shipman fell ill and had to go back to England for an operation. For a while Hesson tried to carry on as Company Commander but could not make the grade. As a consequence when he fell down I was given command of the Company without the unpleasantness suggested before. The adjutant told me to day that a recommendation has gone in for his and my Majority. Probably by the next time I write you I shall be a major. Which has the advantage of being earned in the field and uninfluenced by politics or pull.

We have been resting for the last three days. Saturday we arranged a room and heating to dry out the mens clothes. They were covered with mud to the eyes and wet through. Sunday was cold and bright. But we had our first church service in many months and I surely enjoyed it. The Brigadier who attend took the occasion to present his Aide de Camp with the Military Cross. The lad surely looked worthy. Quiet and reserved almost bashful. The afternoon was very quiet except for the heavy bombardment in connection with an attack our Division was making. The whole operation was beautifully successful and the British & Can's took a great many prisoners with very little loss. The 78th s chance has not come yet but when it does we hope to do big things.

I got two letters from Ethel and one from Stell a parcel from Louella Crawford, Miss Enouy, one from Ethell and one from Miss Drummond-Hay in England. Another from Toronto and ---- in fact I get a parcel now almost every day but they soon disappear as I always pass them around. Besides there is so much in them all that I could never begin to eat them all myself if I would and all the other officers get parcels too so that we never want for something extra good to eat unless we are moving and do not get our mail. Sometimes things go wrong such as 27 boxes of eats we ordered when we left Eng. They only arrived yesterday. Just 2 ½ months on the way.

How I do wish you could see the road past here leading up front. Transports and men s thick that even the traffic on the Strand in London does not look anything like it. Just teaming. And the Country round looks like some huge circus or fair. Everywhere you look you see horses, carts, motors, lorries, troops, tents, depots, guns, shells of every kind, and over head the aeroplane and kite or sausage balloon. We have seen too the famous "tank". It is so simple and yet so wonderful that it is quite indescribable.

Well Dearest Mother this ought to be enough to show you that while we have many petty troubles of our own we are still well, alive and kicking and likely to be for sometime. I do so awfully wish that Stell were a real Christian Woman. Some day she will be. As it is I am afraid I cannot write her without hurting her feelings. It is so pitiful. She will not believe that I have no news of her from you or Ethel.

ByBye with Love
G