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- If the weather had only "been fine our work would have "been made much easier. But we were hampered by the awful mud, andviolent enow etorms didn’t improve matters either, I thought the mud was bed. hack of our own front line, hut it wasn’t to he compared with the shape .Fritz’s was in, "No Man’s land" was the most churned up strip of ground I have ever seen. There wasn’t a square inch that hadn’t been torn up hy our shells, Fritz’s wirew was simply ohewed to hits. I’ll never forget the tripe we made from the crest of Vimy the same day it was taken, and I’m sure some of the poor devils we carried out won't either. It wae an utter impossibility to find a level strip to walk on. One second you'd he ©one in a shell hole, while the fellow on the other side would he walking on the edge,, and the next second it would he reversed. The hardest part of the job was crossing the trenches, as the mud was at its worst there. More than once we were in mud up to our hips, hut somehow or other we managed to wallow through it. It is really marvelous what a fellow can do, when he has to.
We sure made the prisoners work, though, carrying out our wounded I remember one trip I made, escorting l6 Fritzies oarrying out four stretcher cases. The beggars were only too willing to work and didn't need any urging to heat it for the dressing station. When I thought’ they needed a rest I’d motion them to put down the stretchers. Then it would he "Allright, Fritz", "Up again", a motion with the thumb a la traffic cop,, end an "allez tout suite", which is the French for "heat it", and off to war we’d go again. \
Was just about all in at the end of the 48 hours, hut a good sleep put new life into me, end next day I was ready to carry on again Since then we have been lept fairly busy hut nothing like the rush of the first few days.
Bumped into Tom Pasooe a few days ago. He is quartered in this town also, or rather remains of a town, for there isn’t much left of it after being strafed for 30 months. He is looking fine and told me that he saw Reg Beckwith a few days previously. Piute is with the same outfit as the MoP'e and Goldie. I dropped him a few lines,among other things wishing that he would get as lousy as I was at the time of writing. Awful way to treat a pal, isn’t it?
Your tin ofcookies came in last night and maybe they weren’t appreciated. I believe there was a cake in it also, hut' didn't get in on it, as the kid took it up the line with him. I’m going up'this evening, so^ might* get a chance at it yet,
I mailed a Fritzie gas helmet a few days ago, one that Ifound in a. dugout at the foot of Vimy Ridge, overlooking Lens. Have a few other odds and ends thet I’ll have to send along one of these fine days.
Well, folks, its supper time and I'm hungry, so will have to call quits. Both of us ere in the pink. Love to all,
Fred
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