September 8th 1916

Reply to H.J. McMaster Company D. Coy Batt. 93

Stationed at Otter-pool Camp Kent.

Dear Friend A Mansell Irwin just a line to let you no I got you letter & sure was glad to get mail from my home town. Well we had a fine trip & I think the boys enjoyed it good. We had a couple of foggy mornings. But the ocean was very calmn. Well Mansell we are in Lydd this week about 300 of us Doing our shootting & we go Back to otterpool when we are threw Well you can take me tip you have got to soldier here. We got up at 3 oclock in the morning & got Breakfast & walk to Lydd with full Kit on our Backs about 12 or 14 miles. But the Roads is certianly fine here & we did not mind it. There were a few fell our But I stayed with it as I was always use to working all my life. I think I can carry my load with any of them. What do you think. Well I am Doing very good shootting now & iff I have the good look to Return to our home town again I think Norwood will have some crack-shots in it. Well we see lots of air O planes here & [?] queens going all the time & it is some sight to see the search lights searching the sky for zepplines. I be on gaurd after & has the chance to see them at night. Well I have had no leave yet since we came over some have been to London say it is certianly fine. Well the Towns are very close to-gether here & the streets are very narrow & are thickly populated & I have seen a lot of wounded fellows already I was Down to folkstone Hythe the other day. Well I hope that I will be able to go to Kosh with you next year. Well we Dont be bothered with mosquitoes here. When it rains here it comes up for about ten minutes & stops & then starts again in a few minutes again. But the weather has been very nice the nights a little cool. Well I hope Ned Martin pulls threw alright well I wished you could of came with us it is certianly worth taking you chance some are sick of it But I am getting on fine & has had no trouble since I came over here & I am going to hold it Down & was also sorry to hear of flossie Burkell & the poor girls I hope is better of as she had not much comfort the way she was. I be lonsome sometimes when I think of my mother & father. But I hope to be with them again in the next world. Well we have lots of walking to do here it is a route march here to go to the cookery here form our tents. Well we miss our good feed we had in peterboro we get Beans all the time & they are very Bitter & Mutton it is a great country for sheep & the farmers Drew in there grain with 3 horses one a head of the other & the Drivers all walk. Partly mush two wheel carts around here. I wrote to my sister But has had no answer as yet & to William portway I just got 4 letters to-Day & I am feeling quite Happy as it freshing me up to get mail from Canada sergeant searight got D. Coys. Mail to-day & they were after him like a wolfe. Oh say tell me iff it is true about george walker. & tell all my people I am well. But my Bones are sore from lying on the Hard ground we get a warming up some times But it does us good. I am always ready when the Bugle Blows for the cook-house & as it is now 5 oclock I will Bid you a fond good-night with my love to all in Norwood & tell them not to worry for we will all Return some Day to our Dear Friends. As we are off this after noon the boys are all busy writting. Well good-Bye trusting that God spares us all threw this Battle. From one of Norwoods Brave heroes. pte. H.J. McMaster D. Coy. 16 platoon 93 Batt Reg. No. 195475 London England

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