Letters to Miss Jeanne Reid
17 Stanley Ave, Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Belgium
December 2/18
Dear Jeanne & All,
Your very welcome letter of Nov. 5 received today and as usual very pleased to hear from you. I have very little time to write these days as we are on the march into Germany almost steady every day, so I will just be able to drop a line now but will try and make up for it when we get over the Frontier, which won’t be long now.
I had quite a surprise today in a letter from Frank. He is O.K. and in the Southern States. Has been in the Army 15 months but was unlucky enough to be kicked by a horse just before his battery left for this country so was held there and has a good job. He says he doesn’t think he could stand a letter from home so maybe I had not better send his address until I explain to him that everything is all right. He has sure done some travelling since he left and has been all over the States and South America.
Sorry to hear Pen and Pat, also Grandma, have been laid up with the “Flu”. It must be very serious. Hope they are altogether better now.
I guess some of my letters must have gone astray, Jeanne as I have written pretty regular. I have returned to the Battalion and am on the postal staff so ought to have a little better luck with my parcels than last year – that’s if they get this far.
Guess you have had great rejoicing over there since the Armistice was signed. We can hardly realize it is over yet. It seems very strange there are no Iron Rations* flying around. I expect it will be March before we get on our way home but they can send me as soon as they like. I think I ought to be in the first bunch according to service and being married. Hope so anyhow. Heard today Joe Pleasant was killed – hope it is not right, it seems hard luck for a fellow to be just out here a few weeks and get an R.I.P. Joe just landed in time for the last scrap of two.
Well Folks, I must close for this time as I have several other letters to write. Hoping all are real well and to hear from you again soon.
Love to all,
Roy
*Iron Rations were an emergency ration of preserved meat (tinned, boiled beef) cheese, biscuit, tea, sugar and salt carried by all British soldiers in the field, for use in the event of their being cut off from regular food supplies. The Australians adapted the term ‘bouilli beef’ to ‘bully beef’.