France,
June 12, 1917

Dearest Mother:

I am on duty as battery linesman, that is I have to go from this end of any lines that may be down. There are two of us on the job and we are on duty 24 hours from 8.30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.. So far our shift has gone well and we have not been out yet. It is fairly quiet this afternoon and I don't expect any trouble Received your letters of May 7 and 13 in the same mail about a week ago, The day before yesterday I received your parcel containing chicken, salmon, butter, dates etc. and today an other containing chicken, butter, coffee and milk. Also received the bundle of papers, for all of which many many thanks. You are far too good to us. Much better than I deserve. The chicken and salmon are a splen-
did treat and the butter comes in fine. We are able to buy all the milk we want out here again so there will be no need for you to send any more. I don't know what happened but for a month and a half it was almost impossible to buy milk any where and lately it has been just the opposite and it is more easily obtained than ever before.

We are still having the best of weather. Yesterday forenoon we had some thunder and rain and everything today is fresh and cool. What foliage there is a brighter green and the dusty roads will not bother us for a day or two.

Was glad to see that Claude got along OK in P.W.C., also Angus Gillis. Lorne Lea certainly did well and deserved all he got for he is certainly clever and added to that he is a hard worker. Think I told you about having seeing Mr. Cross couple of times. Mr. Taylor is also over here now butI haven't seen him yet. Think I also spoke about Major Prowse having been awarded the DSO. This is tribute of the highest order to him as the officer commanding and also and honor to the battery which he commands in such a capable manner.

In one of your letters you speak of Ben Conrad being wounded or rather reported wounded. That is a mistake. Where the report came from I do not know but he was never wounded at all. He is sitting beside me now as I write and he is in the best of health.

I see it there is a lot of talk of conscription in Canada and not before time for there are too many of the slackers holding down jobs that the girls are anxious to fill when they should be over here as men and patriotic citizens doing men's work. For instance in the graduating class of PWC there are seven boys and five girls. I know them all personally and of the seven I do not say that they might all come, for some of them I know cannot, - but some of them can, they have no excuse in the world to stop them and if they have not man enough in them to come of their own accord they should be forced to come.

We had a letter from Rex Rielly a few days ago. He is in Blighty and he is getting on fine. His wound is not at all dangerous although had it been a little bit more to either side it might have been. However he will be okay in couple of months again

Well Mother don't think I have much more news so will ring off now. Will write again in a few days. Eon and all the boys are well.

Love to all from your loving soldier son, Harold