BC September 25, 1917

Through St. Eloi, Ypres, The Somme, Vimy and Fresnoy – Interesting Letter From Pte. M. Halstead, on Leave in England

The following interesting letter has been received by Mrs. A. Halstead, 294 Park Avenue, from her son Max, who went overseas with the 84th Battalion.

August 27, 1917
Edinburgh

Dear Mother,

At last I have got a few days from the line.  I have spent five days in London.  Well mother, it is a very long while since I last wrote to you.  I’m awfully sorry and ashamed that I’m not writing oftener.  I’ve been waiting over a month for this chance to write to you from Blighty, and tell you a lot of things I could not tell you when writing from France.  I’ve been in five large engagements, St. Eloi, Ypres, Somme, Vimy Ridge and Fresnoy.  I will not tell you where we are at present.

No doubt you were very surprised to hear I had gone to the signal section.  I will tell you how it came about.  They wanted to give me a stripe, but that I’d like to get back in the signal section in preference to staying on a gun crew with some new man in charge, who had not been in France as long as I had.  I’ve found out I’ve done a wise thing, got a lot easier job with much less danger to myself.

I left London yesterday and am now in Edinburgh.  I thought I should like to see Scotland as well as England.  I’ve been through St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Madame Tussauds wax works and a lot more places of interest in London, and now mother I must close.  I’m going to Edinburgh this afternoon.

Love to all at home.  Do not think that if sometimes I do not write that I’m not thinking of you all the time, because you are never out of my mind.

Your loving son,
Max