1 Nov 42

Dear Hugh:

Sorry I was not able to write before. Paper has been in short supply. I don't know about you, but it's been bloody cold here. We had a freak snowstorm hit and there's so much snow, we haven't seen the outside of the barracks in days. The snow's fair covered the windows, an' it's cold enough to freeze brass monkeys. We've been tunneling our way to the latrines, and chipping ice off the loos. Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but not much, mate.

That's the thing about the weather over here…it's either rain or snow and not much else in between. We get a few days of hotter than hell summer, but it never lasts long enough to really warm me bones, it seems. Or maybe that's just wishful thinkin' at the moment.

I wanted to tell you, if you can, take a snap of your mate Henri. I will show it to me mate Louis. I think Louis may be the bloke your chum is lookin' for. I am sendin' you snaps of me and Louis, and one of Andrew. Took 'em with me camera before Jerry confiscated it.

There's not much to tell at the moment…cards and swappin' stories are pretty much the ways we pass the time.

Me mate Andrew is the champion storyteller of our group. Half the time I think he tries to come up with tales just to make us wonder how he does it and the other half I figure must be true, because nobody could make up anythin' even half that crazy. He was raised on a reservation, and weaves all sorts of tales. Also, he has a huge family, so there is lots of material there. I think the bloody war will be over before he ever runs out of stories…

Well, not much more to say, so I will close for now, and continue this letter a bit later…

3 Nov

Dear Hugh:

This is Andrew Carter speaking, um, writing now. Peter wanted me to finish this letter for him, because he is in the infirmary right now. He fell off his bunk last night and broke his arm…he must have landed on it weird or something. Anyway, the medic said he will be okay, but he is hurting a lot right now.

I put the two photographs in the envelope like he told me to. It stopped snowing last night, so hopefully the mail will get picked up and you will get this letter real soon.

Peter said to tell you his falling out of bed didn't count as not ducking, and that he did make a wooden duck for himself…he still has it with him. Which I gotta tell you is pretty good…he says he kept it hidden from the Germans by sewing it inside his greatcoat.

I will mail this now, and I hope you get it soon.

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Carter

~TBC~

A/N: No, Newkirk had not fallen off his bunk and no, he hadn't broken his arm. He was hurt picking up two downed fliers in the snow, which was not nearly as heavy as he had painted, and was in the infirmary, but obviously, Andrew could not tell Hugh this. And yes, he will be fine…although, I suppose he really should have ducked!