Transcription
Somewhere,
In France Jan 1, 1917
Dear Clystal:
Am just out of the trenches, havent [spelling error: haven't] written you for some time, did you get any of those Christ. [abbreviation: Christmas] gifts, they were small but would be a remembrance anyway, they may be a little late, but we did the best under the circumstances here.
Have received quite a bit of mail lately from both you + home together with the surrounding country, got a parcel from you yesterday containing almost everything, canned goods, nuts, candies, etc. On Xmas [abbreviation: Christmas] [crossed out: it] day which we spent in the trenches, I rec'd [abbreviation: received] a letter from mother Jonathan + a Christ. [abbreviation: Christmas] card from Irene, it seemed
(2)
so funny getting it in the trenches right on time. This is the first time we have been getting mail while in the line since leaving the Somme, things are not quite as rough here as the Somme, but it is sure wet + muddy, it rains here almost every day, + two or three times on Sunday, which is our only identification of the sabbath here.
On Xmas [abbreviation: Christmas] Day we got orders not to open fire at all, a few of us were out in a sap, that is a strong front in front of the trench one of the lads signalled over for [crossed out: one] some Fritzies to come over + we wouldn't open fire, had about half over when a [spelling error: an] officer saw us up trying to get them over + put us down, they went back, we would of taken them
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prisoners, as they would be only too glad to get taken uninjured, as the men themselves are pretty well fed up with it as well as the allies. When night came on, it was different all together, there was sure a lot of reception, of artillery rampars [spelling error: ramparts] + everything else, there was quite a few casualties in our [crossed out: side] company, only one being killed, it being poor Walter Bishop he comes from the other side of the Carp, he was picked off by a sniper, its a fright how many of the 77th lads have been wounded + killed, in the list of casulaities in the paper they don't give the unit they belong to now. I forgot to tell a long [crossed out: a] time ago of Willie Hannah going home, guess you have already heard of him
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returning to Canada, on account of his father dieing [spelling error: dying] leaving his mother with two farms on her hands, he comes from near Kinburn, the other side of Carp, he left just before going into the Somme, he was lucky too he was traffic, police didn't have to go into the trenches at all, ""Laura Pfartin knew him, that was sad about her Grandmother, is there any word of she + Harold getting married"" ""this is some clause eh,"" I had a letter some time ago from her. I rec'd [abbreviation: received] Miss Coughlan's nice box some time before Xmas [abbreviation: Christmas], sent her a handerchief [spelling error: handkerchief], it is the [indistinguishable]
to keep answering all the letters I get from the different little ""sweethearts,"" never got answering Mrs. Ferris's letter forgot whether I sent her a card
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or not wish her a happy new year for me. I had a letter from Earl the other day had been operated on + was getting along nicely, but thought on account of a little swelling on his side that it might cause another operation, he is sure a lucky guy is missing all the bad weather, will hardly be back at all, Sid + Ervie are both fine haven't seen Arthur lately but saw some of his Batt. [abbreviation: Battery] who said he was fine.
I think we are to get something good for dinner today, on Xmas [abbreviation: Christmas] we had ""bully beef stew"", that is sure a great compound. By the time this reaches you it must be hard to make out, but you will have to excuse, as they have been fixing up my office.
With Love
Sefton.
""Wishing You All A Happy New Year""Language
English
