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quite easy to do once one has got the knack of it. We finally got to this village and were billeted in a filthy tumbledown barn. I did not notice it then because I slept on the floor in a moment. As soon as the cold woke me I decided that that place did not suit me at all so during the day I announced to my partner that I was going house hunting. I soon found a most desirable chalk dugout in some disused trenches. It is an ideal spot and you would say that if it was not for the frogs and the rats it would be a very good place in which to keep garden tools. Here we spent last night and today, for our C.O. decided that we must have two days rest. I can sleep quite comfortably now on chalk without even a blanket.

This is a funny little battalion that I have got into seemingly by accident, in fact the whole outfit, seems rather accidental. I don't know when I shall be sent to the 28th. You had better address me

2nd Entrenching Battalion, France, Army P.O. London.

As it is most of my mail sent to the 28th seems to have been sent back to the base that I left two weeks ago, but I shall get it all in time. Our battalion does not possess a pay master so we are up against it properly for the time being. At the present moment Browne has gone to the village to try and get two penny packets of cigarettes with our last twopence, pathetic isn't it? You know we only get six dollars a month here when we do get paid. I have sent Sister Lizzie an urgent request for cash as I have an address for her to write to at last. I am still hoping for more mail tonight though, in which case there may be some cigarettes.

No, no more mail for me tonight, so I suppose it has gone to the base at Havre and will come to us at (censored) after going to

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