Letters From the Front

Lt. Lesslie James Watson Burns, 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade C.E.F.

Arrival in Belgium and Advance of 1st Brigade

Toronto Evening Telegram Published: May 3, 1915

ON THE EVE OF YPRES

"2ND AND 3RD IN TRENCHES."

Staff-Sergt. Lesslie Burns Writes Mother on April 19, of Proposed Immediate Advance of 1st Brigade.

"Moving to Ypres to-morrow."

The above is the last line of a letter written to his mother, Mrs. Margaret Burns, by Staff-Sergt. Lesslie J. Burns, of the 1st Canadian Battalion Transport, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, on April 19th. The first of the letter reads, after a personal message, as follows:---

Dated: April 19, 1915

We arrived in Belgium yesterday after a long hard day of marching. It is very warm here now, much more so than in Canada. The 1st Brigade to which I am attached expect to advance either to-night or to-morrow morning. The 2nd and 3rd are at present in the trenches, and we expect to advance in another direction. There are two dirigible ballon lookouts here, and we have quite a time watching them. We have a picket of our own looking out for aeroplanes, and if they are sighted the men and horses have to take to cover.

The people are the best in the world. They can't do too much for us.

Transcribed by: M. I. Pirie