Alma Russell Letters
Letters of British Columbia men on active service with Canadian and British Expeditionary Forces, 1914-1918. Learn more.
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We arrived in France about 1160 strong. The last time we entered trenches we were about 420 (our fighting strength) barely one third of our old strength. In regard to my platoon (13) it works out about the same. 69 strong on going to trenches first time. Now we are I think only about 26 strong counting everyone, machine gunners, bomb throwers, stretcher-bearers, pioneers, Etc. Fellows like myself, who have survived everything so far never know when their turn comes. We have been back the last 3 days billeted in a big town (about 2 miles from firing line) - a town about as big as Dartford originally but now there are only about 20 civilians in the place and it is a terrible wreck, houses and churches all a mass of ruins. But we are billeted near a park with a big square in centre of town — now overgrown with weeds. 2 days ago we got up a footer match in park. We thought it was safe as it was surrounded by tall elms and chestnuts. We played about 6 pm. While we were playing a german aeroplane came overhead but got chased away by our own aircraft. The billet, which is 1 mile from 1st trenches is only 2 miles from firing line itself. Well, last night we had another game of footer at same time. Suddenly without any warning we heart a shell coming and it was on us in no time. luckily it burst in a part of the park where the ball was away from, but fragments came in all directions. One fellow (Monk) got his kneecap broken and another fellow got some shrapnel in the back. Monk is in my platoon and has been one of my comrades ever since we were in France. Like myself he has had some awful close shaves - yet when you would think we were safe playing footer 2 miles behind the lines he gets wounded badly enough to lose a leg! It is rough luck. I merely show you this illustrating the fate of a soldier, and when you see your platoon getting smaller by degree and beautifully less, you kind of shrug your shoulders and wonder what kind of a chance you have of seeing 1916 again!
BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 5 / RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873 - 1964. Victoria; librarian. / Letters and associated items from Private Jack A. Gunn, 1915 - 1916.