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Aug 7/15H. G. MunroNo. 4790416 Platoon4 Company15 Battalion48th Highlanders3rd BrigadeDear 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