Letters From the Front
Private Norman Evoy
Letter from the firing line
New Liskeard Speaker Published:
Note: any spelling errors, etc. are as they appear in the original article.
Dated:
Letter from Norman Evoy
Belgium, Nov. 29th, 1915.
Dear Gertrude:
Your letters dated Oct. 25th and 31st, came to me on Thursday and Friday evenings also mother’s cake arrived on the evening of the 24th. I noticed it was mailed Oct. 25th. So you see it was a month on its way. The hardships of the journey told on it considerably, but nevertheless it was good and I have some still hanging in a little ration bag suspended from the roof so that the rats shall not get any of it; selfish I know, but all is fair in war.
When I wrote last (just a week ago) I was at Divisional Headquarters. The following morning I received my marching orders to Brigade Headquarters where I stayed seven days when I was again moved, this time to what is called “Report Centre.” I believe this is where I am to stay permanently. I like it fine. The work here is running and repairing telephone and telegraph lines also operating them. This week I am on the operator’s job from 4 p.m. until midnight. The remainder of the twenty-four hours I have to myself. There are six of us at this job and we take turns on the lines and at operating, changing weekly, also taking a new shift each time.
I would like to tell you people all about our little bit of the war, where we are, etc., but the censor will not stand for it. Just now there are a few “coal boxes” coming over and our guns are throwing some “made in Canada” stuff in exchange. Every time old Fritz starts shelling our fellows open out on him and the way he gets pounded isn’t slow. Now and again he tries to sneak in a few “whizbangs” on working parties but it is only a signal for our boys to hand across a few. Fritz quits cold.
So far I have not seen a German though I have been within view of their trenches several times. The second morning I was on the lines it was very foggy and we got in a nice little piece of work within about two hundred yards of their trenches but it isn’t often we have such work to do, I understand. This was something extra and I was lucky to get on it. In going over some old trenches we saw some rather gruesome sights, results of the earlier parts of the war.
Will the rink be open for Xmas? The weather here, while not as cold as home, feels almost so. Yesterday was fairly frosty and the mud froze so that it made good trodding but to-day it is muddy again and the farmers can plough and continue to take out their vegetables. There are a great lot of vegetables grown in this country. We make vegetable soup sometimes and take it from me it is great soup.
Now don’t forget to write often. The mail comes in every day and we all want some all the time. I have neglected my correspondence lately for the reason that the accommodations were very poor but I have a good chance to make good this week.
I will write soon again. Regards to everybody.
Norm.
Transcribed by: Dion Loach
