Letter of August 26th, 1916 from Thomas Percival Elder to his sister in law Flossie Winnifred Elder of Ottawa Ontario. Transcription: August 26th 1916 Dear Flossie, I have to express my thanks for your message of sisterly love contained in a parcel, also for the cigarettes, chicklets and candy. They were all very much appreciated and enjoyed by myself and some of the boys. When any one of the section gets a parcel it goes the rounds so you see it as a matter jubilation when the mail brings anything like that for No. 1 section. I am feeling O.K. and as yet have not made the acquaintanceship of those little friends who stick closer than a brother. Here's hoping that they delay their appearance for a while longer. We moved yesterday to another camp, being the fifth place we have slept in since leaving England. Any place we throw our pack is home now and it has been a matter of pleasure that every move we have made has been for the better. First we slept in a station shed for one night then another night in an open horse shed both on cobble stones then a night on the train when there was only sitting room. For six days and nights we were in the huts, three nights in tents and last night again in huts. To-morrow I am going on an advanced course of bombing so will have another move and I quite expect it will be the best quarters I shall have been in yet. The only objectionable thing to these moves is that I have to carry about 70 pounds on my back outside of the clothes I am dressed in and if you consider that the pack seems to grow in weight with every mile it is by no means a pleasure stroll but "iscabible" The Y.M.C.A. have a reading room and grocery counter at every camp where one can purchase such things as canned fruit cakes, hot tea & coffee, etc. so it is not so bad and added to that there are places known as estaminets where other beverages can be had though I have not frequented them except by way of satisfying my curiosity. Everyone over here has that fed-up feeling and would be very glad if the whole thing wound end very soon. From all accounts Fritz is in the same mood. It is making more of a socialist that ever out of me and that 'never again' feeling which I used to have the 'morning after' is very strong in regard to soldiering and I have not yet been in the trenches. This is rather a long winded effusion for me and while the spirit still moves me I had better write some more letters. Again thanking you for the parcel and with love to you & Bert. I am you brother, Percy.