Letters From the Front

Dated:

Somewhere in France

October 18, 1917

Dear wife: a hurried line to let you know I am still in hospital, and am a lot better. I was thinking of the time when I was home last year and at the Ormstown spring show, when I was recruiting for a new Battalion. How true my words to the young and unmarried man of the district has come. They never realized for one moment what I said to them in asking them to join the colors, that if they did not do so the time would come when they most assuredly would be compelled to be soldiers, and now that the great conscription crisis has come they will have to come out and do their bit. Help us boys, who are now at the game more than 3 years. It is with joy we read in the papers the welcome news that at last the slackers and cowards have got to come. Canada has done well. But who did it? As the Canadian contingents come over here from time to time, they are 95 per cent Canadians, especially English, Irish and Scotch with very, very few French. Well I must not say too much. Yet, if you could only hear what many of the boys say, it's heart breaking about the slacker. Two of my intimate friends from Huntington were Stanley Burrows and J. Kelly. I think J. was his initial. We had a hearty shake hands and a long talk and both those boys said “At last, Bert, your words have come true and the French Canadians will now have to toe the mark.” I hope all the boys will live to get home again. We have the Germans on the run as you no doubt will see by the papers, and they are high in their praise of glorious Canada and her never failing sons.

Best regards to all.

Your affectionate husband.

Sergeant H. M. Clelland.