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Alma Russell Letters

Letters of British Columbia men on active service with Canadian and British Expeditionary Forces, 1914-1918. Learn more.

*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person. 

BC Archives MS-1901

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the communication trenches. Two and a half miles going along the communication trenches brought us to the front line. We came through a good deal of mud but it was not too bad. Browne and I put on parapet duty for the night. Cold all night. Feet and hands felt it badly. Nothing doing all night. Rockets, maxim gun and rifle fire. Every time one came over we ducked but on the whole were not greatly worried. October second. Today the Germans shelled Farm and we had our first view of big gun shells bursting. They were trying to find our artillery. Had a periscope I was using fired at twice but they did not hit it. Came out by trenches but were not shelled.

You see the first time we went in was only a very short time. The second time was when we had the casualties but we were in a good deal longer.

Owing to our candle beginning to splutter about later hours I must rather hastily close a rather jumbled letter but to tell the truth it is terrible hard to see. The Civil Service parcel was splendid. It is the best little parcel I have yet seen and everything so useful and I am really most thankful to all my kind friends. Today I received a letter from Miss McCulloch and two parcels with socks in each. I do know which is hers as there is no name in either. Please tell her I shall write at the first opportunity. Kindest wishes to all and Best of luck to yourself

Most sincerely thine Joe

BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 15 / RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873-1964. Victoria; librarian. / Letters from Trooper Joseph Shires, 1915-1916.

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