Letters From the Front
Private Joseph Matthew Agar
Letter from the firing line
New Liskeard Speaker
Note: any spelling errors, etc. are as they appear in the original article.
Dated:
From Private J.M. Agar
The following extracts are taken from a letter received from another of The Speaker’s boys at the front:
Dear Sirs:- Received your favor of July 14th, and must say I appreciate very much your kindness in sending me The Speaker. I have certainly enjoyed reading it. . . . . .As I sit writing in a tent that covers a space six feet square, and the ridge is a little over four feet from the ground, a very heavy bombardment is going on a few miles along the line from where I am. It sounds very much as if another battle was beginning. We are hoping that the successes of the past week will be continued.
It is now over two months since we first arrived in the trenches, and we have had neither attack to make or charge by the Germans to repulse during that time, along the line we have been holding. During last week, while the Battalion I am in was in the trenches, we kept on the alert all the time, ready for either an attack by the Germans or to charge their position. We all knew that the drive of last week, by both French and British was going to be made. I don’t think there was much expectation of the enemy making a charge, but there was a chance of us going after them. We are in reserve at present, and hope that the Germans may be pushed back now along the whole length of the line, our section included.
Beginning with the first week in September we had three weeks of beautiful fine weather. It ended a week ago and we have been getting some very disagreeable wet weather since. It is showing some signs of clearing again to-night. We would certainly like to see the mud dry up for a while yet.
The soil in Belgium reminds me very much of the New Ontario clay, also the lay of the land. The water does not go into the ground, but follows the course of least resistence on top. I have noticed in the trenches where tile drains have been crossed a considerable number of broken drains, and if the broken tiles are not replaced when the trenches are done with and filled in, it will be quite a serious matter for the farmer in whose land the drains should be in proper working order. However, this probably only one of the small troubles the Belgians will have as a result of the war.
We know that the people at home are intensely interested in us, and about the most cheering news, nest to hearing that the Germans are on the run, is a letter from Canada. It does us good to be reminded that we were not always soldiers. I heard a joke at a concert given by members of the 2nd Field Ambulance which expresses a feeling most of us have at times, I think. I should have said “minstrel show” instead of concert. After a song “Take me back to Alabama” one darkie got up and said he did not want to go to Alabama. When asked where he did want to go he said “Just put me off the train anywhere between Halifax and Vancouver.”
J.M. Agar.
Transcribed by: Dion Loach
