Letter sent home from France by Joseph Matthews

Dear Joe, Drink Up and Have Another Hope you arrived home in good time for Xmas. Her with programme as promised. Had a glorious day, Day of All Days 'Plenty of Oil'. Everybody well done in the evening. Old Alf and Peter are now upstairs with thickheads try to sleep it off. Don't mention Mick, you ought to have seen him!! All the boys swimming in that lovely thick black mud outside the cookhouse last night at eleven o'clock. You outht to see their clothes this morning. you bet the Ofs. were well on the whiskey (haig and haig).The concert was splendid, everybody well canned. Some concert I migtht say! Never seen so much drink. Cookhouse swamped beer, ?? whiskey ?? rum also found a ?? round the corner. Some Xmas this one everybody ill today. Barrell of beer half full left in the cookhouse. We're helping them out of a tight corner again. Well cheerio old cock, See you have to get your papers in at least five days before you reutrn. Let us know when you get the civies on. Yours, George