Letter from Alphonse Doucette, Drummer, of Tignish, Prince Edward Island writing at Whitney Camp, Surrey, England, Bugle Band of 105th Regiment...The Pioneer, 10 January 1917.

“Well, I am a long while coming around to tell you that I received your dandy full box a few days ago, and it certainly was a glad surprise to me! It was a long while on the way but everything was in good condition, so I had some feed all right!”

“We are in pretty good quarters now, we are in huts and we have a stove, but not an awful lot of coal, but we are warm by spells so that is a little help. The huts are all right except when it rains then it leak like an old basket and we get some wet. At present the floor is covered by an inch of water, and it isn’t one bit too pleasant. Some people say ‘old soldiers shouldn’t mind that but we are human, I guess, and a little of that stuff goes a long way.”

“About half our Battalion are in France today, and I guess they are getting along all right by the letters we get from some of them. I don’t think I will be going until the Spring, as I am in the Bugle Band, and they are not going to break us up until the last.”

“Wish I could be in old Tignish for Christmas...Could have a snack of goose then, but there it will be meat stew as any other day, but I suppose it is a lot better than nothing at all–Alphonse.”

Letter Received by Mr. John S. DesRoche of Tignish from his brother, Lawrence, with the 105th Regiment in England...The Pioneer, 10 February 1917.
“Surrey, England, 11 January 1917
Dear Brother: As I am not doing much today I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. I must tell you we have had no cold weather here yet. We had a heavy frost the night before last, but today it is still raining.”

“We were out on a march yesterday and the grass is just as green now as in July down home. In some places the grain is two inches long. It seems funny, and so cold down home. I thin we were lucky to strike such a warm country for the winter.”

“Well, by what we hear the boys down home are some slow in enlisting. For myself I wouldn’t want to go back home before I get a whack at the Germans.”

“We had a great boxing match last night; going to have another Monday night. We have some good boxers in our company. There is a London party coming up Saturday night to give us a concert in the YMCA. So now, I think, I have told you all the news. Give my regards to all the folks down home; also to all the family. Will say good-bye now, as ever, Lawrence.”

Telegram Received by Miss Madeline Francis, Lennox Island...The Pioneer, 10 February 1917, “informs her that her brother, Private Barnaby Francis, was wounded on January 16th.

He enlisted in the 55th New Brunswick Battalion and was drafted into the 27th. He was on the firing line between Private Thaddie Knockwood, a fellow Mikmaq who recently returned home very severely wounded, and met with no mishap till now. There are no particulars.”