Letter #84, October 20, 1918.

Oct 20^th, 1918 (postmark)

France

Dear Mother, 

Received a letter today from you saying you have had no mail from me for three weeks, well Mother I can’t understand it, because it’s a fact when I say I write at least once a week.  Ah well, as long as you know I am well and I know you all are then alls well.  Say Mother do you mean to say old Jim Brown “Shakespeare” is out here, for heaven's sake get me his address.  Give his address and I’ll find old Spoke shaves if I have got to travel to France from one end of it to the other.  Gee I should like to see him.  

         So VV is going to give up teaching, well if she doesn’t like it why not let her try something else, there is one consolation Mother, she can always fall back on it.  Although I am sure she shall find the business world a great lot harder to get on in than she imagines, but as I said she can do herself no harm in trying it.  She can always go back to teaching.  Seems so long since I did anything but soldiering that it sometimes makes me wonder if I shall ever be any good for anything else.  Never mind Mother just give me the opportunity.

          Have given up cigarettes.  I suppose it will only be for a day or so and maybe not that long, this infernal pipe has got my tongue just about four times its normal size.  Gee but its hard to get accustomed to a pipe.

          Some great news in the papers just lately.  I should like to tell you all I know but of course Mother you know I am not allowed to tell you anything but what you have already seen in the papers.  Anyway, all the boys are in the very highest of spirits.  So that means a lot.  We don’t expect to be in this locality long but may be up farther soon.  Oh well I have absolutely nothing to complain of as it has been a very decent summer for us and I suppose only right that we should take our share of any of the hardships so by the time you receive this it will be a case of “you're far, far better off in the mud”

          

       Annie seems to be having quite a nice stay with you.  Say Mother you don’t mean to say Ireland is going blind, lord I hope it's not serious because I like that fellow better than any of them.  VV was saying that Harry and Ruby are having some queer old spats together at the coast.  Let them fight they don’t belong to us, but if the men folks were to come over here and do their fighting the rest of us would like them much better and would consider them more as men. Instead of staying home and quarreling with women.

          You were asking me about my medal.  Well, Mother, it came through in orders authorizing me to wear it, but the medal itself, of course, has not been issued.  I have been issued with a ribbon to wear on my tunic to show I am entitled to it so don’t worry you shall have it as soon as I get it.

          

        Well, Mother, I have no news only that I am enjoying good health and that I don’t think it shall be long before I get a few days leave in Blighty, which will surely help some.  Remember me to Dad and the kid I’ll close with love

Chas