France,
November 6th, 1916

Dearest Mother:

Your letter of the 16th received tonight and I must drop you a line. It is almost bedtime and I am on O.P. tomorrow which is considered the hardest duty in the bunch so it will only be a note. Had a long letter from Clemmie tonight and Christie to whom I sent a "whiz bang" (service card), a while ago. This has been beautiful day and tonight is just perfect. I was just out and the moon is shining from a cloudless sky. Would almost make one homesick. On our left the guns are more or less active, on our right there is an occasional star shell and here, in and around L [?] everything is quiet. On our immediate left a 60 pounder is sending Fritz a steady reminder regularly, every minute. In front one
can hear the bark of a few field guns and in the rear an occasional long-range gun breaks in with its dull, hollow roar. Added to this our own guns fire probably ten rounds per hour adding their voice to the music at intervals So much for our side but you will ask, "what about our friends the enemy"? He is pretty quiet also. Here in our dugout the only sound we get of him is when, every hour, he puts five rounds into a farm some 500 yards to our right.

I thanked you in my last letter and your parcel containing the eats etc. also have written to Mrs. Green and Mrs. Stewart. Hope they got the letters also Irene. Clemmie spoke of expecting you in with Jean and said Gordon was going out for awhile. He will be great company for you and will not make as much extra work for you as Jean. I wish I could run in and see you all tonight. That however will come in good time, I hope by this time next year.

Had a pretty good day doing O.P. and got in early. Your parcel containing peaches, coffee and beans came along tonight. I don't know how to thank you enough for all those parcels and they certainly go right to the spot

Now think I must close. Will write again in a few days

Bushels of love to all from, Harold