A LETTER FROM FRANCE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 June 1917, Page 3

A LETTER FROM FRANCE.

WE are indebted to Mr A. L. Elvin for the following interesting extracts from a letter recently received from his son (Corp!. H. . Elvin), written on Good Friday :—

We are not in the trenches now, but are having a spell for a couple of weeks, and in the last three days we have marched about 40 miles with full packs, so I can tell you I am feeling pretty sore to-day. I suppose we will be having some pretty stiff training for a while, and there is sure to be something doing in the near future, probably before you get this. We are living in an old barn, and with about two feet of straw under us, and two blankets and our overcoats over us, we are very comfortable.

You asked-mo in your last letter how we were fed, and although I can't say we are fed like kings, still we get enough to eat, and we buy a good deal from the French people. Of course the food is fairly plain, but it keeps us fit, and we don't have to exist on bully beef and hard biscuits. What we get is this : from \i to \i of a loaf a day, butter (or margarine) about three times a week jam nearly every day, and cheese every day. Lately we have had sardines twice a week, and an orange each two or three times a week. Then we get a couple of packets of cigarettes and two boxes of matches per week. What I miss most is sweets, such as cakes, pastry, etc., and when I get where I can buy some,' I make an awful beast of myself.

The weather is very much warmer now, although it still snows now and again. Tailing it on the whole, I stood the winter here far better than I thought I should have done, but at the same time I hope I will never spend another in Flanders.

I have been feeding myself up on eggs lately, for I average about four a day, and they only charge 2^d each for them here, which is cheap compared to some places. Of course they don't know the New Zealanders yet, and that they have plenty of money, or they "would charge more. Tho French people say : "New Zealander bon plenty money. Tommy no money, he drink penny beer." New Zealander drink champagne." By the way, it came out in Divisional Orders that the N Z Division has been ranked by the Commander-in-Chief as a First-class Division. So that means that we are as good as any. So we are.