.NDY.NjQ5NA

France, August 19, 1916.

My dear Mabel:-

Still in the same spot but expecting to get the order to go up the line any day.

I have had no letters, as all my mail is sent up to my battalion. This is most annoying, especially as I know Sister Ada was sending me a parcel of foodstuffs. If she sent sausages as she often does I shall be very unpopular by the time I get to the 25th.

We have had a splendid week of training under expert instructors sent back from up the line wounded. I have learnt more in this last few days than I did in the preceeding ten months. The instructors say what a pity it is we are not decently taught in Canada for the Canadians are the finest material that ever pass through their hands.

Monday we had lectures on gas and the use of the helmet, no mine is not sewn into my tunic yet, we did a good bit of drill in them.

Tuesday we had a seventeen mile route march mostly through and around Havre, we didnot have our packs on and took it at a nice easy pace.

Wednesday we started off by walking through a long building filled with that abominable poison gas. Of course we wore our helmets, for three breaths of it is death, and with the exception of a slight tickling in the throat it had no effect. They say our gas is ten times as strong as that of the enemy.

Thursday we had a medical inspection, pay day and

BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 19 RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873 – 1964. Victoria; librarian. Letters from Cecil Harrow Unwin, 1916-1917.