Well you see I am no longer in “Deutchland.”  We are now billeted at a little town of about 2800 inhabitants near Namur.  The place isn’t bad but it is extremely tame there being absolutely nothing to do.  We expect to be able to go to Brussells in a few days.  I want to see Brussells before I leave this country only it costs so much.  I am not mean but I do object to being robbed.  Dear as things are no doubt in Canada you have absolutely no idea what the price of things are over here – “C’est terrible” – By the way I am getting to be able to parler this language fairly well.  Of course one gets all the practice that is needed.  But these people speak so horribly fast and run things together so much that it is very difficult indeed.

Please excuse the writing but this room is cold and my hands are about blue.

I received three letters today – One from Dad – that one which you had evidently sent to Leslie in London and had been returned and also one from Mater.  I read Maters over and over again and am very happy at the thought that you have Leslie with you again.  And so old Johnny Gunn gave you a car eh!  That will be tres bon if you can manage the same procedure when I come.  Though believe me I will be quite content to walk.

So old Von Kluck came up to see Leslie too eh – and I also note that Les has been giving Dorothy afternoon tea – That is a habit which I think we have all contracted.  You know I almost envy Les just now.  Here we are simply kicking our heels around here but I suppose we must wait.  We are going to England that is a surety – We have some leave there and then we go home.  I expect that we ought to be home in the latter part of April or May at the outside.  It can’t be too soon for me however.

What am I to do when I get back I am sure I don’t know.  I haven’t decided as yet by any means – I do hope that it won’t be necessary for Les to be long in the hospital.  I wonder what he is going to do.  One has to make the odd shekel or two somehow.  If I get away with a Captains gratuity I’ll have quite a little bit of money altogether – The best part of $1500 anyway.  That ought to help a bit anyway.  So I won’t starve for a few months.  It strikes me that this Bolshivikism is the most dangerous thing that the world has ever been menaced with.  It is far worse than the dreams of Germany.  At present the strikes in Gt. Britain are due from an absolutely Bolshevik origin and I don’t pretend to know what all this will mean in the end.  I only hope that the people or rather the working classes of Canada show sense and keep quiet.  If not it would be better to shoot the whole bunch of them before the army is demobilized.

I am overjoyed at the thought that you are now “out of the hole.”  It is certainly a very fine achievement indeed and I am sure that both of you will now feel more comfortable as it were.  The Xmas trade surely must have been a bumper one and certainly came at the right time too.  It will help so much for now you ought to be able to maintain a car without difficulty and I think that such a pleasure will be well worth while to both of you.

Xmas must have been quite a happy day indeed.  Well there is one thing – I shall miss the winter a thought which makes me rather glad as I must confess I am in favour of a slightly warmer climate in the winter.  I agree with you in hoping that I shall be at the cottage for the grand opening in the Spring.

At present it is rather cold here quite Canadian in fact.  This village is in one of the many valleys of the Ardennes – That famous region of hills which contributed so much to the defeat of the Germans.

Well dear Mater and Pater I shall have to close now as it is just about time for “hash” at a neighbouring “estaminet” wich serves as our mess.

With much love