Transcription
P.S. Got your parcel of cake + socks [illegible text] no date of posting.
On Active Service
Y.M.C.A.
WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
France, July 8th, 1917
Dear Mother:-
Rec’d [abbreviated: recieved] your letter of June 10th also Clissie’s of the 17th. was very glad to hear of you all being well. The Entrance was from 20-23rd. this year eh! I hope George gets through this year.
They will soon be starting the haying around Rich. [abbreviated: Richmond] how are the crops doing, at present we are in Rerserve [spelling error: Reserve] line. Forgot to tell you that I received the money in your letters thanks very much. “it makes me smile when I see the old Canadian bills roll out.”
(2)
The 207th have at last arrived in Eng. [abbreviated: England] eh! had a card from [H.] Brown, he didn’t know Ervie’s add, [abbreviated: address] but will likely hunt him up, he is in the 7th Rerserve [spelling error: Reserve] while Erv. is in the 20th. Reserve [Shoreham.] I never knew Alywin Danby was in Blightly am wondering if he was on leave or got wounded, it will be nice for him to see his father. Willie also told me of seeing Pat Geurvin.
By all reports the farmers will be using their cars instead of horses to cut the hay, it’s a wonder you people don’t get a car everybody will be running over the top of you.
Did I tell you about those snaps you sent of the hearse, also the one
(3)
of George dressend [spelling error: dressed] up in dad’s clothes with the plug had on, I told the lads that was my dad, asked them his age they guessed from 38 - 45 yrs. of age, “had some laugh” so that’s one on George, he shouldn’t be wearing long trousers yet. it makes him look too old.
Bobbie Watson is OK, he gets mail up by the fourth line + around Rich, [abbreviated: Richmond] so I get the news in general. Told you before of Mr. Macguire being our platoon officer he had a brother that went back to Canada having being wounded in the head.
(4)
I suppose you people be expecting word from me for quite a while very often, but really is to keep up in correspondence here, have so many letters unanswered now that I don’t know who to write first, sent Clissie a few lines four or five ago, there are so many things a person would like to tell + can’t, that it makes it very hard to write a newsy letter, so you will have to excuse short letters, a field card lets you know that I am OK. anyway.
I am sure the [Lewis] family feel very bad over poor Arthur, I will never realize neither he nor Sid being gone until going back.
(5)
The weather has been very nice lately except for a few showers of rain which makes a little miserable in the trenches.
I hear Russia had made a great advance taking a number of prisoners, hoping it is all true.
The Conscription bill has already got some of the lad’s goat, by the news I heard they are either signing up or getting married.
Clissie tells me in her letters that Herb has been taking she + Lily up to Richmond, they are sure very handy for getting over the road.
(6)
Well mother I was sorry to heard of you getting that cablegram about me being wounded, where it gave you such a shock, my hand is now all healed up. France is certainly a nice country in the summer time, it is too bad to see so many little villages lying in ruins. The US. is now getting to work by all reports, wonder if Garnet had to registered his name.
Will write again.
With Love To All
Your Son
Sefton.Transcriber
Sarah DaviauLanguage
English
