Letter home

Dear family,
                  Hello sorry i haven't got the chance to write you in 6 months. There was no drill today so i was able to sit down and write you. I am sitting inside our little old tent listening to the gentle patter of the raindrops on the canvas. It began raining here this morning and it is still at it. We got into the city all O.K., when we got here we all went straight to the armory and had dinner. We have to march back and forth to eat. Eats are pretty good so far as they have some women helping with the cooking. I don't know where to began for what i have seen and done. Country's build these things called trenches. They are a long hold dug in the ground for us to use as a barrier. A place to hide behind. Well anyways not many men made it after the first day due to being sniped. We have a routine in the morning for the trenches where an hour before dawn everyone gets awaken by the orderly officer and sergeant who ordered us to climb up on the fire step to guard against a dawn raid by the enemy, bayonets fixed. I recently learned about a rat infestation. Rats like to go in the trenches and feed on the remains but can grow to be the size of a cat. Scary!  Despite the death toll by the snipers many people are catching diseases. You have to be very careful around people and being out. It seems to be spreading. After we have breakfast we are to do chores. The daily chores included the refilling of sandbags, the repair of the duckboards on the floor of the trench and the draining of trenches. It was always a struggle because the rain created mud which sometimes caused the trench to fall. Its always hard to get time to sleep because during the day time we all stand ground just incase of an attack but when night fall comes we are able to read, write letters or maybe get a few hours of sleep. I cant wait till the day i can come home. Im sure the house smells better than it does it. And i am sure its a lot safer and quieter. I am getting ready to go out again for another drill. Ill talk to you next letter. 

                                   Love 
                                   Your son.