Date of Letter:
1915/08/07
Summary:
In which Gordon writes from France to his mother, Jessie Munro. Included is Gordon's description of a French woman who sold him ink; a list of people who wrote letters to Gordon; and, mention is made of time spent with G. B. Chisholm.
Transcription:
Aug 7/15
H. G. Munro
No. 47904
16 Platoon
4 Company
15 Battalion
48th Highlanders
3rd Brigade
Dear Mother, -
If you will excuse my oily paper & so on I'll proceed to inflict or afflict you with a letter. I am getting to like writing letters, as its a change from the other things going on around. I think this letter got oily from lying next to my cheese in the haversack, but so long as you dont spoil your eyes reading it, I guess it will do. This letter has taken alot of difficulty to write, as I had to buy some ink from a French woman & it took much shrugging of shoulders & so on to make her "savy" At the present minute I have cramps from sitting in the same position for so long but I havent the necessary ambition to change. We got paid to day & I have spent an awful lot of money, fully 2 Francs 40 cents. its all I have spent for weeks. I have over $50 credit to my credit at the pay office. I had a call from Chisholm to day & he looks O.K. & showed me all his letters from home. We usually exchange letters unless he gets one from some fair damsel, then of course he doesnt. that was some picture of Mrs & Mr. Chisholm in the dining room, all Scottie McNiel said was "Gee I wish I had that cake."
I had a wash & shave this a.m. which is quite an event. I also got a new tunic of the English style & look like a real soldier (nil). I washed two pair of socks the other day but didnt have soap so I dont know if I got them clean or not. As I was just about finished them I heard a bullet zip past me, I thought it was a stray one, but as another came I immediately beat it to the tall timbers & safety.
I had a letter from Florence McM. & was sure glad to get it & hear the Winnipeg news. I have never got those letters from Mrs. McIntyre as I never wrote to her yet. I didnt think I was supposed to but will do so right away, as I'd give anything for letters. I had a letter from Mr. Gregory the other day & he & some British M. P. were coming out to Shorncliffe to see Brock & me but sorry we were'nt there. I also heard from Mrs. Fisher & Mr. Pepall, he said he wrote you along with my Post Card. Mrs. Brooke wrote me a nice long letter too, so you see I'm not bad off for mail.
I suppose all the cherries will be picked by now & the kids will soon be back at school. I hope Pork made out as well as the other two.
Say it would make you laugh to see some of the fellows, how they sigh over the smallest bit of bacon & so on, & never say a word about the bigger things that concern them. Brock has his hair cut "convict shape" & I think I will do the same. Well I guess as my paper is running short & I'm getting too cramped to write any more I had better wring off for now, give my best to the neighbors & Miss McBain & love to all.
Gordon.
H. G. Munro
No. 47904
16 Platoon
4 Company
15 Battalion
48th Highlanders
3rd Brigade
Dear Mother, -
If you will excuse my oily paper & so on I'll proceed to inflict or afflict you with a letter. I am getting to like writing letters, as its a change from the other things going on around. I think this letter got oily from lying next to my cheese in the haversack, but so long as you dont spoil your eyes reading it, I guess it will do. This letter has taken alot of difficulty to write, as I had to buy some ink from a French woman & it took much shrugging of shoulders & so on to make her "savy" At the present minute I have cramps from sitting in the same position for so long but I havent the necessary ambition to change. We got paid to day & I have spent an awful lot of money, fully 2 Francs 40 cents. its all I have spent for weeks. I have over $50 credit to my credit at the pay office. I had a call from Chisholm to day & he looks O.K. & showed me all his letters from home. We usually exchange letters unless he gets one from some fair damsel, then of course he doesnt. that was some picture of Mrs & Mr. Chisholm in the dining room, all Scottie McNiel said was "Gee I wish I had that cake."
I had a wash & shave this a.m. which is quite an event. I also got a new tunic of the English style & look like a real soldier (nil). I washed two pair of socks the other day but didnt have soap so I dont know if I got them clean or not. As I was just about finished them I heard a bullet zip past me, I thought it was a stray one, but as another came I immediately beat it to the tall timbers & safety.
I had a letter from Florence McM. & was sure glad to get it & hear the Winnipeg news. I have never got those letters from Mrs. McIntyre as I never wrote to her yet. I didnt think I was supposed to but will do so right away, as I'd give anything for letters. I had a letter from Mr. Gregory the other day & he & some British M. P. were coming out to Shorncliffe to see Brock & me but sorry we were'nt there. I also heard from Mrs. Fisher & Mr. Pepall, he said he wrote you along with my Post Card. Mrs. Brooke wrote me a nice long letter too, so you see I'm not bad off for mail.
I suppose all the cherries will be picked by now & the kids will soon be back at school. I hope Pork made out as well as the other two.
Say it would make you laugh to see some of the fellows, how they sigh over the smallest bit of bacon & so on, & never say a word about the bigger things that concern them. Brock has his hair cut "convict shape" & I think I will do the same. Well I guess as my paper is running short & I'm getting too cramped to write any more I had better wring off for now, give my best to the neighbors & Miss McBain & love to all.
Gordon.
Object ID:
2017.22.56
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