April 8 - France

Dear mother and sister

I hope these few lines will find you well as it leaves me fine at present. I rec’d two letters from you a short time ago. The later one was dated Mar 9th. I also rec’d two parcels you sent me. Also one from the Red Cross and one from Mrs. Charlie Russell. One thing I know is I get more parcels then any of the boys and I am always sure of getting a box from home whenever any Can mail comes in. It has been over a week since I wrote you my last letter. It seems pretty hard to get writing at times.

Well how are you making out with the spring work. I guess you are pretty busy. Oh yes I was glad to hear Allie and Roy was down to see you. Have you seen little Grace yet. They will be down to see you when the weather gets warmer. I wrote them a card to Midland. I hope they get it.

I guess you have heard about some of the Harbour boys being killed lately. I was thinking it would be making you worry more. I was going to write and tell Burns about Wallace, but being as the Rumney boys be in his Coy and them being friends, it was their place, so I told them just how he was killed. I was just a few feet from him when he was killed. It was the shock, he never new what happened to him. I guess you will mind him he was my old platoon Sarg in Canada and we came to France on the same draft and were in the same platoon. It was about 11:30 the first night of April when he was killed and I will tell you in some of my letters later on where he was buried. And Frank O’Shea got a dandy blighty. I also hear that Walter Stephens was killed.

Now do not be worrying and if you get lonesome just pick up the good old book and read a chapter. That is what I do if I get lonesome. And will sure find it to help you.

The mail has just come in I got another letter from you its date is the 16th of Mar. Now you have no idea how glad I be to hear from you. I guess things will be pretty quiet around home. But they will be better than ever when this war is over.

You want to know which candles are the best. The white one are those trench candles and are very poor for showing light. I use them for Tommy coopers. Well must close. Lots of love from your loving son and brother Bruce Speerin xxxxxx