Transcription
[Envelope: Front]
""On Active Service""
[Post mark] MONTREAL P. O. [abbreviated: Post Office] NOV [abbreviated: NOVEMBER] 21 4 - PM [abbreviated: POST MERIDIEM: AFTER NOON] 1916
[2 cent Canada Post Postage stamp]
[Post mark] FIELD POST OFFICE 15. W 9 NO 16 [abbreviated: 9 November, 1916]
Mr. [abbreviated: Mister] H. Stewart,
291 Albert St.,
Ottawa,
Canada.
[Mark] PASSED [illegible] 4217 [Initials] JOH
[Initials] JOH
Somewhere, In France Nov., 6/16 [abbreviated: November 6, 1916] Dear Herb..-- Rec'd [abbreviated: Received] your letter some time ago being very glad to hear that both you and uncle were fine. This is my first opportunity of writing for about two weeks, am out of the trenches now two days. The weather has been d- wet and miserable for the last month + is most likely to continue. I only wish you saw us when returning from the trenches, mud up to the eyes, & wet to the skin, some of the bog
holes you have to throw back your ears to get through them. In our last spell in the line we had a great many casualties as you will see in the papers, quite a few of them being slight wounds also a good many cases of trench feet which is sure a bad thing, some of the lads are not able to bear anything on their feet or legs. I suppose you have a very good idea of where we are, the most of the Canadians being on this front. The land we now occupy had formerly been in the hands of the Germans, so you have an idea what kind of a district we have to travel over. I don't think there is a sq. ft. [abbreviated: square foot] of land but what is turned
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over, no matter where you are, you are surrounded by ruins, of small villages & towns, it is too bad to see so many old fashioned churches all destroyed. In this ground, there is almost a underground world of German dug-outs, really there seems to be no end to the work they have put up in the construction of these. Had to stop this letter as you will plainly see in the difference in pencil, on having to fall in a d---- old parade. I only wish you saw the position I am in while trying to write, bent over on my knees receiving all the light possible from a piece of candle. At present there is a beautiful display of our
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old shack, some have fallen asleep, others eating a bite, the remainder, have their shirts off reading the news, which is very often interesting. In comparing Eng. [abbreviated: England] + France with old Canada, there is a vast contrast, they have no methods of working or idea of doing anything over here, really it is amazing to see the get-ups they have. Well Herb there is too much to tell in detail, this is a few lines to let you know we are well as can be expected, excuse writing + form as you know the conditions. Remember me to uncle.
Yours Sincerely
Sefton Stewart.
P.S. We have been in d- rough corners Herb, but have been very lucky. Sefton. "Transcriber
Nancy DaleLanguage
English
