The Earl Campbell Story - Life In The Army

The Battle of Cambrai occured November 20 to December 7, 1917

Nov 29, 1917, France

Dear Mother you will be all wondering why I have'nt written this week. The reason is . We left Belgium & moved back to France and it kept me very busy. We left Belgium the 27th and arrived in France the same night about 11 o'clock. We had a midnight march which took us till 4 o'clock in the morning to get there. It was a fine trip such a fine moonlight night and not to cold in the box cars. The Battalion is all here for a four week rest than we move up to our new front. I hope it is not as rough as the one we just came from. I don't think it can be any rougher. We are about 40 kilometers from the line now so we hear no guns atall or no bombs to keep you awake at night. I am wishing we could stay here for the duration of this awful war. The French people use us jake, they are far ahead of the Belgiums. If one wants a drink of water from their pump they will get one. They gave us a dandy billets to sleep in for our four weeks rest. We are close to where we were billeted last winter when we first came to France.

I suppose you will have the box of presents I sent home over a week ago. What do you think of my sewing of the box. Some class is'nt it. I'll try and get you & Dad something. I have'nt received the box with the khaki mitts in yet. I guess it is close to me now. I had a letter from Mrs. Edwards the last night I was in Flanders she is sending me a box. I'll have lots of boxes soon. But there is nothing like em. Say Mother will you send me about 10 dollars. I'll not ask for any more after this. We are not on full rations now, just half rations. So money will be handy. I get all the money you send. And find it a good help to me, ha-ha. Has Henry & Merle come down yet. I had two boxes from them lately. Where is Harold now? The last I heard of him he was in Waterloo. Why don't Arch write me a line or two. Maybe he is too busy trapping and going up to Aurora for a hair cut. Tell Harold I had a jake time in … while I was there. But we are quite a few miles from it now.

Well Mother I will have to close for this time. I have quite a bit of fatigue to do to-day. I'll write again soon. We are safe now for awhile. Hope you & all have a Merry Xmas & a Happy New Years.

With love your loving Son, Earl

Dec 5, 1917, Rest Camp, France letter to Pauline

Dear Pauline, It is about time I am writing to you. I know it is my turn. I suppose you will be trying to skate these fine moonlight nights. There is no snow over here yet. But it is quite cold. France is far ahead of Belgium the weather has been jake everyday since we came down. The sun shines everyday. And in Belgium one hardly ever see the sun. Well Pauline our 14 days leave has come. A number of our lads are away to Blighty now. I expect to go in a couple of wks. But I don't go to Blighty. Scotland for mine and maybe across to Ireland. I would like to see Paris but I'll have to give it up. One of Sergents had a letter from Harold Boys in Eng. I only wish I was going with him. I will try & see him when I go on pass if he has not gone.

Have you received the box I sent about 3 wks ago yet. A silk apron for Merelda and something for you, Floss & Arch. The ring is a German ring. I will not tell you where I got it tho. I am sending Mother a souviner of France a silk purse. But no money in it. She can put the money in it. Let me know if you got everything. I have not the box with the khaki gloves yet. But I guess it will soon be her. Mrs. Edwards send me a box I have not it yet either. How many cattle is Dad fattening this winter. And how many skins has Arch got hid away. Art Brown says he never got Arch's letter. Well Mon Cheri I'll have to close now . Our Billet is'nt very warm for writing. One can see the stars at night thro the roof of it. But one good thing we have no shells or bombs to bother us. Au revoir Pauline. I want to hear from you soon,

I wish you All Merry Xmas & Happy New Year,

Your loving Bro. Earl

Dec 17, 1917, Rest Camp, France.

Letters exchanged between the soldiers and family and friends at home was an important part of a soldier's life in order to maintain their morale. Censorship of soldiers' letters was undertaken by regimental officers. The purpose of censoring letters was to avoid mention of operational details. Information that was forbidden to be included in the letters was locations, number of troops, and criticism of officers. In a number of Earl's letters we can see where the Censor has erased information that may have proven valuable to the enemy.

Dec. 17, 1917 letter where Censor has removed some text

Dear Pauline, I have received two letters from you this last mail. One was written on the ploughing match bill. Those are the kind of letters I like to get. Well Pauline this letter will not be censored. A chum of mine Sap Fisher is going on his 14 days leave to Ireland to-morrow. He said he would post it there for me. So I can say anything I want to in this one. I have been pulled up 3 times since I been over here for puttuing sutt in the letter I should'nt to. I am sorry to hear about little Norman Willis. I had a letter from Merelda last night. She told me all about it. Susie & Fred will be nearly crazy. So Dad sold old Joe. Its to bad, you girls will have no horse to ride now. Archie McLean will use him good allright. He use to use C…. pretty good. Does he come down to see Merelda very much. I am glad Arch got his papers…. [section has been erased.. assume the censors got a hold of the letter] I often think however I pull through as well as I have. I feel allright except my nerves are gone. I will try for my discharge next spring, ha-ha. I guess I'll get it allright. I think this war will be over by the 1st of July 1918. I don't see how it can last any longer. The Americans will give them something some of these times. I suppose you all will have the presents I sent home in a parcel Fritzie's buttons and a ring. I took from one but don't tell anybody. I took it from a German. Arch can have it. I have a lot more of German stuff. I will bring it with me when I go home. I suppose Henry & family will be down home now. I will write to them soon, I wrote to Merelda a couple of days ago telling her I received five boxes one from Mrs. Edwards, on from Vic Hall, Mr. Farmer, one from home. And one from the Laskay League. I had one from Merle & Ruth the week before. I am sure getting fat now. I have not had a hard tack for 4 weeks now. Our time will soon be up for going up the line again. I hope this new front will not be like the Ypres front, It was a son-of-gun. Harold been around it. Ypres is all blowing into dust now. I know it all off by heart now. I put six months in it. Last winter when we first came over here we were on the Somme front around…..[section had been erased by the censor]… and a lot more of these places … to-morrow after noon for a wild pig hunt. There are quite a few around here. Well Paul I will have to close now. B.Coy licked A.Coy yesterday in football. I got a bang over the skin which made me a little lame. Now write again soon and tell the rest. Take care of yourself, Au revoir your loving Bro. Earl

Dec 23, 1917, letter to Merelda from London, Waterloo

Dear Merelda: I have arrived back to London at last. Heaven I should call it. I left our Battalion Dec 21st landed in Boulogne the next evening about 7 o'clock. We were staying in a big building for the night waiting for a boat the next morning. Old Fritzie came over with a Zepplin and dropped 35 bombs in about 35 seconds right close to where we were staying. The windows in our room were all jarred out. He killed & wounded 165 British & French people in 35 seconds that going some, eh. I seen a little girl about 7 years old get her head cut off.

We sailed from Boulogne to Folkestone. The trip across the Channel was jake the sun shone all the time. And we sure had a swift ride across. One hour and 20 minutes was all it took the boat. Two sea-planes & two Destroyers kept guard on us across. I am writing this in the Union Jack Club House in The morning I am taking the train for Scotland. That is if I can get a bath and some of the crawlers off me in time, ha-ha. Thank God I will be away from them for awhile. I only wish I was on my way home instead of going to Scotland. If I ever I get a 3 month furlough to Canada I'll never come back again. 12 months or very near is enough for me on Active Service. I think 10 days of it will cure anybody. Well Merelda this will only be short this time. I'll write when I get to Aberdeen and tell you about the Bonnie Lassies. I hope you are all well at home. I have a bad cold just now. I caught it riding in the old open top cars through France. They thot they had a train load of dogs I guess. Oh, Soldiering is some life allright. Yes now be good with love to all at home.

Loving Bro, Earl

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