its nothing like I expected up here and all we have seen of the war is when
a shell or 2 busts in back of us or once in a wile 1 of their areoplanes
comes over and 1 of ours chases them back and sometimes they have a battle
but they always manage to finish it where we can't see it for the fear we
might enjoy ourselfs.

Well it looks like we would half to go to bed on a empty stomach if you
could call it bed and speaking about stomach Brady says they's a old saying
that a army travels on their stomach but a cutie covers a whole lot more
ground. But as I say when you don't get your chow you don't miss much only
it kills a little time and everybody is sick in tired of doing nothing and
1 of the boys was saying tonight he wished the Dutchmens would attack so as
to break the motley and Alcock said that if they did attack he hoped they
would do it with gas as his nose needed a change of air.

Your pal, JACK.

* * * * *

_In the Trenchs, May 16._

FRIEND AL: Well old pal I come within a ace you might say of not being
here to write you this letter and you may think that's bunk but wait till
you hear what come off. Well it seems our scout planes brought back word
yesterday that the Dutch regt. over across the way had moved out and
another regt. had took their place and it seems when they make a change
like that our gens. always trys to find out who the new rivals is so the
orders come yesterday that we was to get up a patrol party for last night
and go over and take a few prisoners so as we would know what regt. we
was up vs. Well as soon as the news come out they was some of the boys