Same address

14/3/17.

Dear Aunt Maggie Uncle Jay and all - tonight the splendid cake of sugar which you sent me arrived and just this very minute three other officers and myself are enjoying it. It is very thoughtful of you to send it and I thank heartily for same.

The usual round of duty goes on here with very little change. We are out of the trenches and have been for about three weeks now. We have been doing some special training and expect to be going back to the line soon.

Since I came back from leave we have been having mixed weather - rain, snow, frost and hail at intervals so we have our usual complement of mud to contend with. We are hoping for spring weather soon tho and if we get it the mud be scarce.

Today we were up quite early 430 A.M., had a cup of tea, walked eight miles to a training area, had breakfast in the field, trained for three hours, had dinner and then marched eight miles back here to billets. We got back about 500 P.M. and needless to say we all felt that we had a full day. The men stood it well and are in pretty good condition. It rained part of the forenoon and it made things more disagreeable for us.

I have not been getting much mail from home lately but expect that mail boats are Irregular now and that perhaps there are some letters on the way for me.

When have you seen the home folks and how was Eric? I am anxious to hear that he is all better again. I suppose he will lose his year in school.

I have not had a chance to write Nettie and Ralph lately, but will do so soon if I can. I wd like to tell Ralph some exciting stories about the trenches, how the Germans try to crawl into our defences at night and get caught and often shot for daring to do such a thing. Sometimes they do get in tho and lurk around and when in the trenches on duty, Especially when the nights are dark and it is pouring rain, it is dangerous to go around a single corner in the trenches without a revolver, or a rifle with a fixed bayonet in your hand.

Now I must close for this time. I am quite well and have not been having too bad a time.

Write Soon

Affectionately

Leslie.