Aug. 31 1916

Witley Camp
Godalming, Surrey England

Dear Hazel -

Just a few lines to let you know I have arrived here safely and am feeling fine. We had a grand trip to Halifax and across the "pond". I enjoyed it thoroughly but was not sorry when we got here. We came across in four days and a half on about the largest liner in the world. It was some boat alright. I think I will like England fine. Everything is so neat and pretty. The roads are grand and where we are the scenery is grand altho of course not quite as nice as some we saw in Can. We are about 10 hrs from the trenches and about three hours from London. The money seems kind of funny but I am rapidly getting used to it altho I don't expect to handle very much. There are several towns right in the camp and lots of girls but they all have big feet so I think I will give up my idea of the rich widow. They say it rains here everyday and it certainly seems like it altho there isn't much mud We sleep in big rooms that they call huts. They are very comfortable and of course are dry and heated so I don't think we will suffer much along that line. The eats are not very good but I am rapidly getting used to eating almost anything from Bully beef to Skilly I suppose you know what they are The YMCA here is swell and there are several good refreshment joints and two large shows right in the camp not a hundred yards from our camp. The street cars and trains are funny and there are loads of traction engines pulling wagons along behind them. I don't know when we get our leave but I hope it will be soon. We have heard a lot about the strict English discipline but I haven't seen it yet. They always turn out on the left side of the road here when you meet any one. I suppose we will soon get used to it but I don't think I will ever really want to live here so heres to going back to Can as soon as the war is over. We have wet canteens here all the beer I want to drink which isn't much as I don't like the Engl beer. They are most Canadians in this camp but the Englishmen stand and stare at the Indians. One asked us if they were French Canadian because they were so dark. Well Hazel must stop for now. I hope there is some mail here from you as I havent got any yet

Jack