Letterhead: YMCA. On Active Service with the British Expeditionary Force

France

2nd Nov 1918

Dear Kate

I suppose it is time for me to write you a line or two. There is a route march on this afternoon and as it has started to rain I expect it will be put off. Lately we have been chasing the Hun and were kept pretty busy. Just now we are having a spell but are well up towards the line and one never knows when the old man may open out on the place. Bill has a letter from you saying Corfe was back at work again and I am pleased to hear he is out of it. I wonder if Teed will do any good and if he

does manage to get away.I think it will be all over before he gets this far. We have just heard that an armistice with Austria has been signed so that means the finish of her. The Hun appears to have a good possie up here and a little north he has flooded the place so we will have to push down this way together with a push further north and get the flooded part cut out. There is a fairly big wood close to us and it is sure tgo make things lively. However our big guns seem to be giving something over that way a rough time of it. I expect the war to finish before Xmas but if not well I guess it will

last till well on in the summer. I cannot see them giving the Hun much rest this winter and expect to have a rough spin. The weather has been in our favour this year and is only now beginning to break up. We have been issued with gloves and singlets so it is time for winter. I sent you a Xmas card got up by the regiment, they had them all presented then found out it was against the rules to do such a thing. Anyhow they soon got permission to sell them and the only trouble is that there are only three for each man. I expect Doie up here any day now as I have a letter or two for him addressed to France from Blighty

so I guess he must be on the way. I have also a parcel of cigarettes for him and if he does not get her soon I will have to smoke them. I cannot see my leave anywhere near yet and I am afraid the war will finish before I get it. I don’t think I will worry much about it if it does. I had a record catch of lice yesterday 37 in my shirt and 10 in my pants result of sleeping in lousy straw. Some of them are huns and very rotten too. Well I guess this will do this time. Best love to you all. Young Un 16522 A E Balneaves