d brown.

September 9, 1916.

Rain, continuous rain. The guns have been roaring without any let-up for
three days and nights, and our little barracks are nearly shaken to
pieces. We have had several warnings of gas attacks, but fortunately
nothing has happened. One of the orderlies kept his mask on all night
and everyone was surprised that he was alive next morning, they are the
most awful smelling things you can imagine.

We have never seen so many aeroplanes as during this past week. This
morning we counted eighteen in a row.

Mrs. T---- is going to organize another hospital on the Somme and is
going to keep this one as well. She certainly has done a splendid work.
We are all hoping that the fighting will be over before Christmas.

October 1, 1916.

The rain has begun, so I suppose we may expect to be under water for the
rest of the winter, but things are going well for us, so we must hope
on; but O! how dreadful it all is.

A stationary balloon that is not far from here, used as a Belgian
observation post, was struck by a bomb from an aeroplane and we saw it
fall in flames. The men who were in it jumped out with parachutes and
both escaped without injury.

Broterl, the famous French sniper and poet, came the other day to sing
for the soldiers. He is wonderful, and sang all sorts of songs that he
had composed in the trenches. The men were enchanted, it does such a lot
of good, for it makes them forget for a time.

One of our orderlies has just got word that one of his brothers has been
killed at the Somme, another is dangerously wounded in the head, and a
third has lost his leg--he has six brothers, all at the front.

One of the men in my ward got word of the death of his brother also. He
was a stretcher bearer and was helping a German officer who was
wounded. As soon as the German got to a place of safety he shot the poor
man who had been helping him.

I am nearly frozen to-night and will have to go to bed.

October 9, 1916.

Our Bayard has come through the Courcelette fight safely, where the New
Brunswickers did such wonders; but O! at such a terrible cost.

It has been very cold and rainy here. I am afraid the bad weather has
set in.

Wish you would send me an aluminum hot water bottle for Christmas,
another pair of Indian moccas