Letter from Coporal Ernest Douglas Barton to Rose Petrie - July 8th, 1944 HQ 11 CBR BN CAOS 8 July 1944 Darling Rose, Today has been the brightest day since I landed on the shores of France. The reason, of course, is because I received 2 air mails from you today. One was dated 27th June & the other 30th, which is darned good goin' if you ask me. I'm sitting just outside of the entrance to my dugout, one of the cosiest little under-ground rat holes in the area, if I do say so myself. You should see the blisters on these clerk's hands of mine --but everybody has to dig in here, it's the only safe place to be. Things have been pretty hot the last couple of nights, & you really appreciate "below ground" protection on such occassions, slight as it may be. Gee, there is so much I'm dying to tell you, but restrictions are pretty stiff. I could really give you a classy first hand account of all that's going on, but -- The first few ights I was here, I had to sleep in a deep, narrow slit trench, which was about 3 feet from the head of the rough grave of some unknown Canadian Ordnance man. In the small hours. I'd wake up and think to myself "here are two graves, one for the dead & one for the living." And if I stretch out my legs I could -- hey Bart, don't get morbid. Golly, I'd give 2 days of my compo rations for just 10 minutes in a good hot bath right now. You sure get grimy living this molelike existence, & only 3 cups of water a day for drinking, shaving, washing & laundry. Jerry has a bad habit of fouling the fresh water he has to leave behind, so you can't just get it from ny well or supply that seems to be nice & handy. Well honey, Madamoiselle from Armentiers has been very conspicuous by her absence up till now. The aged & infirm, & the very young are all I've seen so far. Sure wish I could talk the language; it would be quite an asset. Also hope your cigs arrive soon, the seven I get issued every day hardly last the morning & you can't buy 'em here at 10,000 francs a butt. All my love sweetheart & write again soon. Doug