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Date: July 23rd 1915
To
Campbellflord News
From
Robert Caldwell
Letter

IT GOES WELL.
Lance Corporal Robt. Caldwell, who enlisted at Cobourg and who was formerly of Campbellford, has written an interesting letter to the editor of the Campbellford News, in which he says that in the French papers, there has been the same heading for a few weeks. It is 'Ca va bien' (It goes well). He is with the machine gun section of the second Battalion. It will be remembered that there was a Robert Caldwell reported killed in action and at first it was thought to be the writer of this letter. That fortunately was not the case. In describing the last battle in which the Canadians were engaged he says:

Two days after we had received the tobacco we went in- to the trenches and during most of the seven days were under a furious bombardment. Attacks were carried off by Canadians and English to our immediate left, indeed half of our trenches had to be vacated so that the attacking troops could make the assault from there. During the complete engagement which, with its artillery preparation and the final bombardment, lasted some five days. We were busy first keeping the enemy from repairing the damage done by the Artillery. This was done by rapid fire on their parapets at irregular intervals throughout the first two nights. Later, during the assault, with a continuous rapid fire supported with our artillery we kept them from enfilading our troops as we dashed across the space between trenches. There were three attacks made before we could hold our gains, so completely had the Hun consolidated his positions and so strong and desperate his counter-attacks. We did not get off scott free for the enemy returned the artillery fire and in places our trenches were sorry looking wrecks. One of the boys from town said before we left the trenches, 'Gee, I'm glad that tobacco came when it did.' We all were, for smoking proves one of the best relieves you can get while under fire