Eastbourne
Aug 7th 1916

 Mrs. J. Drader,
Victoria

 Dear Mother,

 Received your welcome letter of June 8 and July 4 boath about the same time.  Gess the last one must of took all the short cuts but it seems queer that you did not have word by the 4th of July that we are all transferred to the 49th Batt. as I wrote to you before I left England which was bout June 8th.  Yes it is some exciting to be so near the big finish all though I did not have a chance to finish very much and I gess Eugene has all he can attend to these days though he said in a letter to Bert for him to take his time about getting well that they could get along some till he got back.  My leg is getting well fast.  I can hobble around a little bit on it now.  They gave me a pair of shoes the other day and when I put them on they felt so odd that I counted up and found out that it was 37 days that I had no shoes on.  I had a card from Bert this morning and I guess he is about well again as he said he was going back to Shorncliffe on the 9th.  The weather has been fine here for the last month and they expect a good harvest in England.  It is generally believed hear that the third year will end the war and I sure hope it does.

 I think I like farming better than I do soldiering.  Also I think Alberta suits me about as well as any place I ever saw.  Have no hankering to take up a homested in no mans land till the belgins get their title back again.  Well I don’t know of any news so will have to close hoping this finds you all well and that we will soon be back.

 I remain as ever your loving son,
101578 Pte. Drader W E
49th Canadians
Military Hospital
Eastbourne, Sussex, England