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Date: May 29th 1915
To
Mother
From
James
Letter

Y.M.C.A.
With His Majesty's
Canadian Forces
On Active Service

On St Laurence
Past Quebec 10 mile
Sat. may 29 1915

Dear Ma,-

I posted a letter to you and a card to willie at Quebec, also a letter to Reg. We didn't stop at Quebec but a tender came along side and I suppose it took the mail.

When passing we saw plains of Abraham. The side facing the river and where wolfe went up are very steep and all rock. It is a very difficult place to ascend and wolfe must have taken his men up there very quietly for if the French knew he was coming up he could never have gotten up.

After passing the plains we saw the chateau Frontenance. Pa has been there hasn't he? The monument to Wolfe is in front of the Chateau. We only got a passing view of the city and I didn't see very much of it.

I haven't had a chance to speak to the officers from winnipeg but have seen quite a number,- Colonel [Ewbury?] Major Ross, Major Cross, Lieut. Styles. Tell willie I saw him to-night after supper, wasn't speaking to him. Mon McCausland is an officer with 28th Capt. McInnis is here I spoke to him when I came on board. I saw Lieut Childs at a distance to-night. I also was speaking to Stewart Young. He is a private.

We have had a very pleasant sail down the river, no motion to the ships so far but that will start in a day or so.

I told you that Pa gave me some sea-sick capsules. I was certainly very fortunate in getting out to see Pa again.

Mr. Mcara is on board but I haven't seen him. I'll likely get a chance to speak to him within a few days.

We have just seen a submarine going the same way as we are. It was at a distance. Some of the fellows have seen 4 of them. I've only seen two. One that I saw past us only a short distance away. They look just as you see them in pictures. They are Canadian or British and were going along the top of the water.

I forgot if I told you we expected to pick up part of our escort pretty soon. Our escort will likely be a destroyer or two perhaps a cruiser. I'll keep a diary and write you what has happened and we seen when I get across.

It is now 8.20 and I'll not seal this till we are nearer Father's point where the last mail will be taken off.

I wish I could feel that you weren't worrying about me. But I know how you do.

[If?] by chance we are submarined and I'm called to the next world please do not shorten your own life by grieving and fretting over me. Just pray and remember that The Dear Lord looks after us all. We shall all meet later in the next world and our spirits will be re-united. My ideas of the next world aren't developed very far but I feel sure that we live again and that we shall be united in the next world. However there isn't much danger of an accident and I don't want you to worry too much.

I'll close now by saying good-bye to you all and to Canada for a while. This is a terrible was and I'm not sorry and I know that in your own heart that you are not sorry that your son is going to do his best to put a stop to this terrible murder of innocent people and in a small way to try and stop the greatest war that this world has seen. Dear mother let pride instead of sorry fill your heart. That is how I would like to think you are doing. Don't you think that is the right way? With very much love to you, Pa, Willie, Reg, Mary, Arthur. Remember me to evryone.
Your loving son
Jim.

Original Scans

Original Scans