C Company
28 Batt.
2nd Division

Christmas Day 1917, France
To Lola M. Passmore,

Dear Miss Passmore,

How am I thank you for the kindness shown. Very many thanks for Xmas stocking. Tho I did not hang my sock up on Christmas Eve. but then father Christmas must have overlook my backwardness, for I had hardly opened my eyes when what should I see but a Christmas stocking hanging at the foot of my bed. Gee it made me think of the days when I was younger, and used to look forward to Christmas morning.

Well Lola, I am in hospital at present having had a very bad attack of the (flu) influenza, am feeling a great better so that I shall be able to enjoy your Xmas gift. I'm afraid I shall have to quit for a while to make sure what I really have here. Gee I have a comb, candies, chewing gum, nuts assorted, aren't I ever coming to the end of this stocking found something else a nice story to read, & by a good author. A Bonbon ah I shall have to just get someone give me a pull. Say I wish you were here you could help me eh? - Well I have done the trick & such a bang. Yes & inside was nice little pin also a paper hat, which I am wearing, Say I am wondering if you would like me to send you the pin. Yes I will enclose it in this letter. Well another look - my will it ever end, finding so many different things. I have just found a pack of playing cards & some thing I needed very very badly indeed. I wonder if you could guess what that is. Just try please. I will tell you later on. I have come to the end of my stocking at last & such a long one. Again thanking you very much. I think I must have toyed with with it. Just the same has I did when going to school. Yes the boys around you here saying to one another, what have you got. I've got so & so, someone across the ward would say I have a mouth organ. Gee what a noise mouth organs, whistles flutes. Yes almost any & everything you can think of. & you can bet it is some noise, I have to laugh one fellow has a drum, & he his walking up and down the ward bang it fit to break in such laughter.

Well Lola have you thought what that was I asked you, not yet alright.

Say please tell me what sort of weather you are having in Canada. Gee we never had anything like we are getting here. Do you know it don't seem to find time to do anything but rain, a little is all very well, but even a little can be too much at times, but then we should worry. We shall all be back again before very long. Yes home to 'Canada the Land of the Maple Leaf'.

Lola I am sending you the card & one or two of the ribbons that was attached to my stocking. Trusting you will take care of them as a momento of a 'Soldier Boy' "somewhere" in France.

Dinner time - I think I will close for now, though I may be too late to wish you a Merry Christmas. I wish You & all at home A Very Happy New Year.

From Yours Cheerfully A Soldier Boy
P.T.E. G.E. Manners

P.S. I bet you never guessed though you did not eh?

Well I will tell you it was a hankerchief & again thanking you very much indeed.

I am Yours

#446965 Pte G.E. Manners