France...incomplete letter
Xmas 1916

To Mom and Dad?

Page 5: ....lodged in what used to be the machine shaft house to a mine. As the place is considerably larger than the KM and A.A. and only a crude brick fire stove in the centre of it one gets rather chilly in the night.

We start in at 8:30 in the morning and study M.G. (machine gun) until 11:30. then we do the same from 1PM to 4PM and finish up with a few physical jerks. The weather here is somewhat like Kamloops as there is a raw biting wind blowing outside steadily.

We have our Xmas celebration when we come out in billets for a week. Believe Muh! I am going to eat until I bust a lung that day.

Not long ago a party of one of our machine gun crews were going by night to take up their position there. Mr. Fritz however got there first and as soon as our fellows came within range threw at them our own milk bombs which they found in the post. One of our men was killed and the rest wounded. One being taken prisoner. One machine gun corporal, although wounded, buried his gun nearby. Therefore Fritz really gained nothing. the corporal was recommended

Gee though, these Leweses are jake guns. They don't weigh 30 lbs. and if properly run can fire 600 shots a minute. Jake for our deer hunting, eh what?

Please tell Keith to hustle and write a decent letter...likewise Helen and Joan. Joan better hustle up and write to me soon or I'll forget I have more than one sister. Did I tell you that kind Miss Beatty knitted me a dandy pair of socks. Those gloves Dad gave me last Xmas are proving a blessing now.

With best of love to you all and hope you had a jolly Xmas. lovingly,
Sid

(P.S Gee I'd like to knock out a couple of Keith's grinders!!! Zzzz)

[Editor’s note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]