Letters From the Front

Dated: March 13, 1915

LIEUT. CYRIL CHILD IN FRANCE

Banff Soldier Writes Home -- Corps of Guides Close to Firing Line and Within Sound of Guns

Cyril Child writes to his parents in Banff from a spot in France close to the shriek of the shells and within hearing distance of the big guns and at night the sky is alight with the gun fire. Though the censor carefully crosses out the place from where the letter is dated Mr. Child thinks Cyril is close to a place called Hazelbrook [Hazebrouck], 12 miles south of Ypres, which would be at the time of writing headquarters for the Divisional Cycle Corps to which Cyril Child belongs.

Just previous to the arrival of the Cycle Corps, Hazelbrook [sic] was occupied by a company of Germans and the villagers tell how the Germans demanded of the Priest the keys of the village church, on being refused the Priest was shot. The same day a lad of 10 or 12 years ran away from a part of the village the Germans had told him and others to stay. On being recaptured this lad of tender years was shot.

Many parts of Cyril Child's letter are crossed out by the censor such as names of places, numbers of men, guns, etc. He says the boys are all well, himself included and all are most impatient to get into action and wish to be remembered to their friends in Banff.