July 4th, l917
Dear Kiddo.

Well well here's the midweek again and your turn this week I think. This is the glorious 4th and the funny part is they are celebrating it in the British army. I celebrated it a month ago yesterday and one of the fire crackers got a bit close to me and so I'm here in the same old place still waiting for the marching orders. They are much longer coming than my other marching orders I ever waited for. However I begin to like it here and we have a jolly bunch and an orderly that is so slow we can poke more fun than a picnic. We nearly die laughing at him at times.

I am getting along fine and my leg is getting better every day. I have a quite a bit of strength back in it now much to the discomfortune of the nurse for she is afraid I will move my knee about and do it injury, but yours truly does not bend that knee, it hurts far too much for that. Of course a little movement is almost unavoidable now since they have taken it out of the box stall and put it into an ordinary one and tied it up. They have it in an iron splint now and slung about a foot high.

I guess you will be getting tired of hearing of my ailments. You remember how you used to say you would hate to be around if I had anything really wrong with me. Well I took care to be far enough away this trip eh! but I will likely be home so as you will get your share yet for I'll probably be sent home a little on the lame side. I hope so anyway for it means the sooner. Of course I mean lame as well as stiff though the lameness may cure much quicker than I think for no bones are broken.

By all accounts you will be having a big time this summer with all those new cars floating about. They will be fine for the summer school at the lake eh! but what will the owners all do when conscription comes in for they don't allow cars in the army except for staff officers and they don't use fords so I'm afraid it is hard luck on some of em, but say this is an awful thing to force a man into. Still they are the guys with the property to protect.

We keep getting new men on here to look after our needs for they use light duty men from the hospital or men who are nearly ready for the line. They stay a few days and away they go up the line . Then
we get new ones so they are nearly always green.

Well here's the orderly gathering the letters so I must quit now so so long for now. Love to all and remember me to the motor cars.

Lovingly Rae.