Sapper H.L. Irwin
c/o Ross Rifle Works
Can Ordnance Corp.
Ashford
Kent

Wed. Dec. 22- 15

My Own Darling Mother

I rec your very Dear two letters today. But no Parcel, But from date you sent it I shall get it about first of new year, I also read letter you sent to Florence, she sent it down for me to read. But I can not say I think it was very nice of you to write that way to Florence, it nearly broke the lettle girls heart, & she nearly cried her eyes out too, her Brother also wrote to me about it, saying I had better come up, as they could not do any thing with Florence as she had taken it so bad, but she was not angree at you by any means, But could not understand, as She had never seen you and did not know what your feeling where to–word her, by the way you write she seems to think you think she is not good anove for me, She has only known me sense I came over, and fell in love with me and was going to marry me, not knowing what I was, or where I was taking her to, But she loved me anove to take all chances, Mother I can see you do not understand the ways of this country, they are very much diffrent to Canada & America. People her want to know your family Histry for centryes back, in Canada it is diffrent it is what you are now. over there, But here it is diffrent, I can not explain, But if you where here you would see, the ways are diffrent & every thing is diffrent, so when she got your letter although she looked at it in the right light, her parents did not, I know you can not under-stand, But I can, as I understand English ways now as I never knew befor, and no one But a person that has lived here can understand, Now Mother I am not angree eather But it hurt me very much when I read the letter first, if it was in Canada it would be nothing, But here it is, if you and wrote me the way you did her it would have been all right, But I do not think you should have wrote her as you did, it would have been all right to a Canadian girl, But it is diffrent with an English girl that has never been out of England and a girl that has come from an old English family, and the poor lettle girl has nearly gone crazy, But I will go, up to her tomorrow night & explain to her, Mother I take your advise when you give it to me and always leason to you I think, But Mother I did not say I was taking all the money away from you as you said in your letter I was going to do all I could for you, and I think that is all you would want me to do, I told Florence the way thing are and she understands all, and I also told her I wished to do all I could for you, and would like to send you as much money as I could & would not tuch the money I had asyned & also the Alowance I would not change, But I would give her all the money I got here, and I thought that if you could you would send her a lettle now and then insted of Buting it in bank for me, and she was willing to take what I could give her & be happy as long as she could call me her Husband, you may think that funny, But if you know England & its ways you would not, so we had it fixed to get married on the 26th and then where evey thing was ready, cake made wedding dress ready and every thing ready, and then your letter came, But I am not at all angree or sore, But Will not promess any thing untell I see Florence again, and do not know what will happen this Xmas yet, But have got a four day pass and am going up to London tomorrow night, never mind any money mother as I have got anove for this Xmas as I am not buying any thing except a fue lettle toys for Florries little brother & sister, they are two pretty lettle Kiddies, one 9 & the other 11, they will injoy them very much, I am also giving Florence a little rememberance as they have been very good to me, and asked me up for Xmas this year, to try & make things happy for me, I was payed seven Pounds last week so will have lots of money untell after Xmas, any way, I was hoping to rec your parcel befor Xmas, But will have it for new year any way I hope I rec a nice parcel from Laura Ellis, and I realy don’t know how to thank her anove, it was a lovely parcel & injoyed it very much, I am very sorry Mother that you have been sick, But hope you are all O.K. again now, as I am feeling much better myself, & also Greta well again, and Bell I hope he is all O.K. again now it seems every body is sick or on the bum any way, and I hope Hazel is all O.K. any way, Florence was a lettle sick last week But I think it was only worry that made her sick, she will be all O.K. again once I get up there and get her on my knee & give her a fue thousand kisses, I am stell in Ashford But I think I will valinteer for France right after the new year if I dont get married, as I am geting very tired and sick of this life here, so will go to France & see what is going to happen to me, for whats going to happen will happen, so I might just as will get through with it and & be done with it, But of corse if I get married it will be diffrent, I will have to stay here then, But will see after Xmas, Will Mother I think this is all for tonight will write you again next week with all my love, I will always remain your loving Son Harold