Duff & Morrison Collection
” I’ve got that [Supper] over, boiled potatoes and onions, boiled beef, bread, tea, and jam. Not too bad for troops on active service, eh, Lily….” Lou Duff, Belgium 19 Nov 1915
Belgium
19th Nov 1915
Dear Aunt Lily,
Just a line to let you know I’m well. We have been having awful weather, continual rain and getting quite cold. Occasionally the sky clears and the sun shows up to cheer things up. At present we are in reserve near the town of _______________ [name of town blacked out by censors]. We have been here a few days and we pull out again for the trenches day after tomorrow. When up in town this a.m. I got a few souvenir handkerchiefs, one of which I am enclosing for Jean. 1 Hoping she likes it.
We will likely get this sometime before Christmas and I may be a little previous but you can hold it if so. There may be several unforseen delays on the journey. While writing this I can hear the church bell ringing on the Church tower in town and at the same time the continual boom of the enemy and our artillery. Half an hour ago or more, I witnessed an aircraft duck over our lines, both got away. These things would seem wonderful or terrible to you over home but we are getting hardened to it and take very little notice of it now unless we are in it and feel the effects personally which we have too many times for some of us.
Must stop for a few minutes. Supper is ready and it won’t stay warm very long.
Hello. I’ve got that over, boiled potatoes and onions, boiled beef, bread, tea, and jam. Not too bad for troops on active service, eh, Lily. We fare pretty well in the trenches too and the most of us take in a few extras such as canned fruit, sardines, Grape Nuts, canned milk, coffee, cocoa, etc., etc. The Y.M.C.A. have a store just 550 or 600 yards back of our trenches which are 150 yds from the Germans at the particular spot and they sell all kinds of stuff – tobacco, chocolate, etc., etc. as well as all the above articles. So you see we live real civilized at times.
Well, I must close hoping this finds the family all well.
With love to all,
Your nephew,
Lou
1 The letter of Nov. 19, 1915 had an enclosure of an embroidered handkerchief, with a little gift card reading “To Jean. Wishing you a Merry Xmas. Lou” Forget me not (printed on card). This was enclosed in a postcard/envelope with the following message:
Belgium
Nov. 19, 1915
Cousin Jean,
This is just a little souvenir from ______. Hope you are well and having a good time. We are having a fine time over here making Fritz run. Be good to Mother and Dad.
Love from Cousin Lou
• Letter 1: 30 Dec. 1914 Toronto. letter from Louis to his Aunt Lilly
• Letter 2: 9 Jan 1915 letter from Rosa (Lily’s sister and Lou’s mother)to Lilly
• Letter 3: 26 Feb 1915 letter from Jean to her Aunt Lily
• Letter 4 18 Apr. 1915 letter from Tot (Lily’s cousin) to Lily
• Letter 5: 29 June 1915, England. Letter from Louis to his Aunt Lily
• Letter 6: 21 Aug. 1915 England. Letter from Louis to his Aunt Lily
• Letter 7: 24 Oct. 1915 Toronto. Letter from Rosa (Lily’s sister and Lou’s mother)to Lily
• Letter 8: 14 Oct 1915 France. Postcard to Lily from Louis
• Letter 9: 1 Nov. 1915 Toronto. Letter to Lily from Rosa (Lily’s sister and Lou’s mother) enclosing Louis’ lengthy letter of 11 Oct. 1915 in France
• Letter 10: 19 Nov. 1915 Belgium. Letter to Lily from Louis plus enclosure for his niece Jean
• Letter 11: 6 Dec. 1915 Belgium. Letter to Lily from Louis
• Letter 12: 7 Jan. 1916 Toronto. Letter to Lily from Rosa (Lily’s sister and Lou’s mother)expressing her worry over Lou’s silence
• Letter 13: 10 Feb. 1916 Toronto. letter to Lily from Rosa (Lily’s sister and Lou’s mother) with the cable explaining Lou has been wounded and will be in hospital in England two months
• Letter 14: 11 Feb 1916 England. Letter to Lily from Lou about his skull fracture from shrapnel
• Letter 15: 18 Feb. 1916 Toronto. Letter to Lily from Jessie
• Letter 16: 8 Mar. 1916 Winnipeg. Letter to Lily from Cecil Duff, Lou’s brother
• Letter 17: 16 Apr. 1916 Toronto. Letter to Lily from Harry Richey, Lily’s brother