Bellignies, France

Dec 1st 1918

Dear Kate

It is about time I wrote you a line or two. We are on our way to Germany. Have just finished a three days march and have now three days to rest. It is pretty hard work this marching stunt but feel not bad on it now. I wash my feet every night and so far they have not given me any trouble. I think that half of the battalion were on sick parade with their feet sore the other day. In this village they have a marble factory or at least a pace where big squares of marble is cut up into slabs. The way it is cut is place a big block if marble into a frame (flame?) and then a swing-saw affair, say about a couple of dozen blades an inch apart works backwards and forwards down through the block so that it is cut up into two dozen sheets. The saw blades have no teeth just thin steel and it cuts it very clean.

The careful sergeant has been in taking our names and year we went into camp and port of disembarkation. Must be some new scheme about going home. I am landing at Wellington and will be down to see you very soon after then. We do not like this going to Germany stunt but have to get on with it. They tell us that we are going to the town of Cologne on the Rhine so it should be some place. I must have a good look to se what damage our planes have done to the place if any. Bill has gone back to the base at Etaples. He should stand a good chance of getting home .