Tuesday, April 10th 1917

Dear Margaret,

                I first came to the Western Front in the hopes of fighting a heroic battle or two and then returning to Canada a hero.  I do not expect this result any longer.  I first arrived in Nord-Pas-de-Calais three months ago, still excited about travelling to France.  I did not expect my living quarters to be a barren hole dug in the ground where one could not hope for more than a mud floor to walk on.  The trenches are not a pleasant place.  I have lived here long enough to expect ticks eating my food, living in my hair and dressing themselves in my clothes.  Rats have also become another family member one must work alongside with in the trenches.

Yesterday I fought at Vimy Ridge, after a seemingly endless day of thought breaking artillery fire we finally claimed most of Vimy Ridge for the Allies.  Today we defeated the German forces in the town of Thélusand continued on to capture the crest of Vimy Ridge after much difficulty.  Most of the soldiers and officers believe that we came this far because of the Artillery machines and detailed planning or the sloppy decisions of the enemy German Army.  That’s not it though; I know that we have captured most of Vimy Ridge for only one reason, Canadian devotion.  They say this battle will only last a few more days, though this whole war should not have lasted one minute.  How can any man, women or nation support the helpless slaughter of thousands of their own neighbours?  Several of my lifelong friends have died today; if just one more is to die I will return independently to North Bay.  The death of a friend or fellow Canadian in your arms will shudder any mans view of War.

The nature of war cannot be a natural one, for God would not create such a cruel implementation of hate with his own hands.  One might say that war helps to stimulate growth and cleanse the world.  The growth is of that person’s desires; the cleansing is in the missing beauty of paradise and broken silence of harmony.

Sincerely,

John Alexander McInnes