A LETTER FROM VICTOR R. LAPP.
Mrs., A, Spear, Secretary of Grafton Women's Institute, has received the following letter from Bombardier VICTOR LAPP:
(FROM FLANDERS)
Dear Mrs. Spear:
Just before leaving No.3 Hospital, a parcel of the most beautifully knit socks arrived, addressed to me, which I never acknowledged, partly due to the fact that events have been happening rather rapidly since that time.
Of course you will be interested to know how I disposed of them. One pair went to one of the boys attached to No. 3 Hospital and the remainder I took to my ward and gave them to the Sister in Charge with their history, there they were given to the up-patients to wear, or to the boys who had recovered and were going to convalescent camp and eventually 'up the line,' Some of the socks have a different history because very soon after they arrived I left the hospital and remembering the excellence of those socks. I took some of my own up to the ward and exchanged them. I am glad I did as 'Flanders mud' has been at its worst for the last week and the linesmen connected with our Battery have been coming in every day absolutely soaked and it has been a pleasure to have a few extra pairs of socks to help them out.
Our boys are absolutely wonderful soldiers never yet have I seen a man fail in whatever happened to be his particular duty. Some day I hope that I may have an opportunity of telling you some particular incidents. The boys appreciate what you are doing for them and I can assure you that clean dry socks mean much for personal comfort. Let me thank you very much for the socks and the privilege of distributing them.
Yours sincerely
VICTOR R. LAPP
As in the above, Bomb. Lapp makes no reference to his own work at the present time, a word of explanation is in order, Before going overseas Bomb. Lapp, who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W,N, Lapp, Haldimand Township, and a nephew of Dr, T. C, Lapp, Town, put in two years in medical work at McGill University. When war broke out he decided to enlist and was attached to McGill Medical Hospital No, J, which has a capacity of 800 beds. He was made ward master and at the time he left the hospital had charge of award of 75 beds, all filled but one, while every other night he assisted in carry in a convoy of wounded. He decided, however, that he could not 'play the game' to his own satisfaction in the hospital while so many of our Canadian boys were surrendering their lives or were wounded and suffering. He accordingly joined the artillery for active service, receiving the rank of Bombardier, and now visits two gun sections alternately with a physician, looking after the wounded in the danger zone at the firing line.