Letterhead: NZ YMCA, Somewhere in France...

6 2 1917

Dear Father

Have just got a mail from NZ today & one from you. Am glad to hear you are all well at home. Isn’t it sad about May Mitchell. I got an awful shock when I got a letter from Auntie to say she was dead & she used to write such decent letters to me & I was wondering what was the matter with her when I got word she was dead. Have to write

to Aunty yet & I am sure I don’t know what to say. I am writing this in the trenches & it is as cold as can be, freezing for all it is worth & snow still on the ground. Two of our chaps got wounded last night just after tea. Old Fritz sent over some whizzbangs & made it lively for a while & I can tell you they made a chap duck. He landed a shell the other day about a yard off the edge of the parapet

& I was just under it. I got a lot of dirt & snow & I got a jolly big fright. If he had had a yard more onto it I would have got something to remember, but a miss is as good as a mile. Bill thought he had me but not him. It is very funny here sometimes to see everyone ducking & diving & the look on each others faces would make anyone laugh but at times he makes it too hot to laugh. Haven’t time

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but don’t know how long it will last. Things are just the same as usual here & everyone well as far as I know. Harry should be back now. How are they all at home, well I hope. Give them all my regards. How are they getting on with the conscripts going strong I suppose. Must stop now. I am Doie