Letters From the Front

Dated: December 26, 1917

LETTER FROM THE FRONT

Rev. and Mrs. J. Bennett have just received the following interesting letter from their son John, who left Red Deer with the 187th:

Dear Dad and Mother:

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and well.  I didn't write you last Sunday because we were on the move, and I wasn't in a very pleasant place to write.  Lately we have been up amongst the mud and shells, in that part of the fighting area that was famous in the earlier part of the war.  It is so muddy that it was almost impossible to have trenches, and the fighting is mostly done through these "pill boxes" that Fritz built.  I suppose you read about them in the papers.  Our boys attack one of these and capture it, then turn it into their own use.  They are built of concrete and are practically shell-proof.  In this part of the line they use a lot of horses, and although they are quite a piece back, like us, they are sometimes unfortunate.

I have seen quite a few air fights this last week, and although it is terrible it is very exciting to watch them.  I saw Fritz come over in some of his planes, and he dropped a few bombs pretty close to some of our dug outs.  Our artillery fire is excellent, and although reports from other countries are not so favourable, we certainly have Fritz beat here.  Every little while we slip across and snatch a little more ground from him, and soon I expect we will have him where we want him.

Lately we have passed through quite a few desolate shell-torn towns and villages, and to look at them, it all looks like a story.  It will take quite a long time to get them all built up again.

As you see by this paper we still have the old Y.M.C.A., and they certainly do good work here.  Quite often we get free tea good and hot from the Y.M.C.A., and although it may not sound very much to you at home, it sometimes counts a whole lot here.  We still have our old reliable friends the lice to contend with, and they are a horrid pest.  It is impossible to keap clear of them. 

At present we are staying in an old barn amongst the sows and chickens.  It makes a fellow think about home when he looks at all the stock.

My mail is not coming very good at present.  I haven't received one of those parcels that you mentin.  They must be going astray as I haven't had one since I came to France.

I suppose you will have all your grain threshed by this time, and you will busy at the wood hauling. Well I think this is all for this time, from

Your loving son,

JACKIE BENNETT