Letters From the Front

Dated: December 30, 1916

Letter from Jack Ford

Jack Ford writes to W. Wilson from the western front as follows:

Was glad to get a bundle of papers from you, and to learn the news from home. We are having abominable weather here now, rain and mud up to the eyebrows. Little doing with the exception of the big gun artillery duels.

Our outfit has been worked hard every day since we have been on this front. When we cannot move the guns on limbers we have to pack them around on horses, but what ground we gain we hang onto like a hungry dog to a bone. I had two horses knocked out in one day. The first one was filled full of shrapnel and just about buried me with dirt, the next trip a shell burst just behind a horse hitting the animal in the leg and foot and showering me with dead horse and mud.

Have been very lucky so far. Men get hurt and are taken to the rear but the guns must be served nevertheless. It's some experience, all right, but I shall be glad when it is all over. What used to be towns is only discernible by men digging bricks to make roads, not a wall left standing.

Meet some of the Banff boys now and again going in or coming out of the trenches. Lou Hill is cooking for headquarters staff of the 7th brigade, 2nd division. Remember me to all the folks in old Banff.