France
March 18^th 1916

Dearest Essie:-

This is the way you will be getting a lot of your letters started, now that yours dearest has enlisted.

I have had a terrible cold myself so has Billie, he was worse than me, It was terrible cold out here for a couple of weeks, but it is fine now.

I was on a firing party yesterday over seven of our lads, who fell for the great cause.

 Say those guys who are training now must be having a fine time, to what we had, fancy them, putting us out in Valcartier, twenty miles from know where, and the to that bloody plains, some of them fellows will have to come as reinforcements for us fellows.

That was a cute little picture cute kide me eh Kiddo? ha ha

After the war many happs days what you say Hessie.

I wish I could be with you so as you could tell me all you have to say.

I was not thinking of Mame Keith or Pearl Schram, only I just like to know, for Mame has beem engaged for a long time.

Say those fellows around Ayton ought to be shot, but do you know Essie I would not want to be in the front line, with them Germans, for if the Germans were charging, they might shoot their own men.

You need not bother about Grace and the school teacher, for I am finish with her, no doubt she will be looking for pictures and letters, I think she is getting to be to fast for me.

I do not get drunk very often but you know we have to do some thing, to pass the time away, but I wont do it after the war just once to celebrate getting back

I am not in the trenches now, well my nerves are pretty good yet, but not as good as they were when we come out first, those shells are terrible.

Say was that you in mens clothes in that picture.

You don’t seem to take it as bad as I do about Glady’s, but never mind she answered my letter with her hubby on her arm, or rather by her side, ha ha, she said so,

Poor Jessie Hoy, I feel sorry for her, did I not tell you what she was, that old woman she was working for might have kept quite, what do you think.

I might as well have kept that braclet, I believe Jessie would drink with the boys allright for she is young and foolish enough.

no Essie Dunchurch, is in Ontario and I have a nice little Auburn haired girl up their, she is just seventeen to, that’s why Gracie is loseing me, see?

My Sister says they have a dance every week some where’s around, and they have enough places to go untill the twenty fourth of May.

You Will be able to pay good attention to the car this summer.

Young Seim told me his father was going home, and if he is in his right mind he will stay their

I am glad you are going to show me how to dance after the war, you girls are going to have a lot to account for after the war.

I heard a fellow ask a girl how she would like to wash for him, she says after the war I will wash for you

Well I will have to close as I have a little Belgium girl to write to must not forget her I have let it go for a week.

So I will close with fondest love for my own dear little cousin Essie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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