Dec. 29 1916
West Sandling Camp
Kent England
Dear Uncle Sol. & Aunt Maggie
Received your welcome letter on Thursday Dec. 28th and was pleased to get a letter from you.
I am well at present and Hope all the Smith Family in Canada is well also. The weather here is rainy it rained all day to-day. But of course it never rains heavy, just a drizzling misty rain.
I see by your letter Dad is getting more in the Poultry Association now. Glad you sent me Dad's photo as it is small and easy to carry with me.
Yes I will have quite a bit to tell you all when and "if" I ever get Back to Canada of which I hope I shall get Back.
Xmas is past and New Years is on Monday. I had a fine Xmas Dinner over here. I did not get a Xmas Pass and dont expect anymore Pass for six months or so. I won't expose myself more than I have too. As a whole skin is better than one with holes in.
The German Peace Move didn't work, as they thought it would, I don't excexity know when it will end some returned men from the Front say it will end before the spring but I think it will keep going till next fall.
I eat lot over here, I buy jam, H.P. Sauce, Pineapple, and other stuff to eat with what I get. The pineapple is good. its in tin cans. Quite a few of Old "B Company" are in France now some left a couple of days ago. We expect a draft to leave next week and I think I may be on it. As I want to stay with some of my Chums. Drafts leaves here to go to 6 or 7 Battallions at the Front.
The ones left this week went to the P.P.C.L.I. & R.C.R. & C.M.R. & 2nd Pioneers.
(letter ends here, but it seems that the following continues it, and the note that follows from Dec. 31st would have been included with this letter).
FROM
No.739645. Pte A.C. Smith.
"B. Coy" 114th Battn. C.E.F.
c/o Army Post Office.
London, England.
If I am in France when you write again this address will take it direct over to France. and not to this Camp. By having different address some of the letters are sure to get me.
I have had about 10 letter from Canada now. I wrote an answer to your other letter. "Hope you get the letters I put in some English Coins."
Well I think it is not very good over in the trenches this time of the year. But can't stay in England all the time as I would like a change. We practice here with "Gas Helmets" they are awful at first but am getting used to them. When wearing them you breath though the mouth and not the nose. We have the Enfield Rifles over here. The Ross is not used and the Web equipment and don't use the one I had in Dunnville I think you saw it.
