The War, (or thereabouts)
Now
To my dear Cousin, in the land of the Star Spangled Banner,
Greetings! Salutations, cheerio, chin-chin and all that sort of thing.
Your long neglected letter is now about to be answered.
Evidently you were a very busy young person in the summer what with business, school, Red X and work &c. – Wish I could give as good an account of myself. – I've been leading a life of indolence all summer. – I was only back with my old Company for a short while after I got out of the hospital in the spring as I was shifted to some quieter work back of the line for a rest. – Was a bit run down at the time but am fit as a fiddle now and expect I shall be going back to more active work soon. – Have a topping little billet at present. – All the comforts of home. (almost) – Have almost forgotten what a rifle-shot sounds like. Tho' we get the odd shell now and again to remind us there is a war on.
Sorry to hear auntie had been unwell but hope she has long since become quite o.k. again.
– I quite understand what you mean when you say the war seems very unusual to you, away out there. – It's bound to. – None can realize what war really is unless it is staged on their own front lawn. – Reading about it gives very little impression. – Possibly because it is chiefly written about by people who as a rule don't know much about it themselves. – These correspondent fellows that come out on a “Cook's Tour” for a few days and then go back an rave in their magazine articles about “life at the Front” and all that sort of rot give me a pain. – It has even spread to the “Saturday Evening Post” now. – I used to rather enjoy reading it, but now I think I'll have to write and tell the folks to stop sending it over. – There is hardly an article or yarn in it now-a-day that doesn't drag the war into it in some form or other. – If it isn't a tale of some johnnies heroic doings “in the trenches” (authors seem to fairly gloat over the phrase) it will be sentimental rot about some heroic office boy's sleepless nights etc. and final decision to enlist, along with a few more columns of drivel about the honour of the country being at stake. – Oh it's hopeless! – I can't see for the life of me why people make so much fuss about a chap's joining the army. – It seems to me if he's physically fit there isn't anything else for him to do.
If any of your pals are joining up, just give them a tip from me to get any moving picture ideas they may have about honour and glory out of their heads and get ready for a lot of glorious hard work with a pick and shovel. – The rifle and bayonet are a side issue in this war, (or possibly when you want to toast a bit of bread over a brazier) – Nine-tenths of the time you're doing some dirty job that in civil life you'd hire a dago for.
I suppose you think I am an awful pessimist, but three years of this game is liable give one sort of a bent that way. – Last June I was on leave to Blightey and met quite a bunch of chaps who were on Pershing's staff when they arrived in London. – A lot of nice fellows amongst them. Have seen a few around the base out here. It's where they are undergoing training. – With the schooling they are getting they should make good when they are put in the line.
– Am enclosing a snap of myself and a couple of the sapper-johnnies, pals of mine taken one afternoon while I was on leave. – Just after tea at the golf club. – A beautiful spot in southern England. – Ripping golf and tennis.
– Also did the usual round of theatre, and things in London. – Am figuring on getting a few days leave to Paris before long. – Have never been down there, but quite a lot of my men have taken their leave there instead of going to Blightey lately and seem to have had a good time. – Anyhow some of the letters I have had to censor since their return have made me, well, curious to say the least, so have decided to investigate. – Will tell you all about it if I make the grade.
There isn't much more to be said. – Write again soon, won't you. – The days when we don't get letters out here find us jolly grouchy.
My love to all the folks.
Cheerio,
Murray
P.S. – My address is very changeable these days, so if when you write, you address the letter as follows
– Lt AM Robertson
Canadian Engrs.
℅ C.A. Allen,
Can. Gov't Offices
11&12 Charing Cross, S.W.I.
London
it will be forwarded to me wherever I am.