Mon 14th 1942

No. 2. C.A.R.U. RC.A.

Dear Mom:-

I guess I aught to be ashamed of myself this is only the second letter to you since arrival here, but you know how it is we were kept pretty well on the hop for the first few days, and whenever we lit anywhere we had to see the sites, we were stationed in a place that is near to a very famous military camp that has a name the same as big military camp in [CENSORED] and this camp is the same name as one in [CENSORED] so with a little help from the Atlas you should be able to pick out the exact location, we have visited such tows as, Borden, Farnham, Grayshott, Hazelmere, and of course [CENSORED…..] our arrival here so you see we have covered some ground and been on the hop pretty well.

We will move to station next week but my address will remain the same as now, and if you have any spare soap you will do me a big favour in shopping me a couple of cakes as soon as you can so I can take a decent bath, soap seems to be the hardest thing of all to get, that is effecting me I mean of course you cant go into a restaurant and order anything you like. “Tea and cakes” is the general run and you only get the cakes if they haven’t sold them all, for this reason I haven’t dared to take a leave to London yet so the boys say it will cost on an average of a pound a day and I sure cant afford anything like that, anyway I prefer the small towns, I just wish you could see the houses and stores, field and grounds here, they remind me of little toy towns, they look so much like doll houses, I like what Ive seen of England so far in fort I wouldn’t ask for a better place to settle down and pass away a few years, if I had a small but steady income, its surprising how cheap transportation is here you can go as far as from Sydney Mines to Sydney for 1.D. which is equal to 14 cents in Canadian money and if I rember rightly it cost about 45 cents there. Cripes you can go up to Scotland for five dollars which is slightly over a pound. Im not anxious to go very far yet so Ive gotten a lot of satisfaction just wandering around the near towns, it doesn’t pay to get too far from barracks because then you would miss the good solid food you get in the mess, by the way I think this country is going to do wonder for my figure (oh dear)

Im to be stationed with the R.A. on the channel coast not more than fifty miles from Jerry so I may see a little fun yet the [CENSORED] us no end especially the fact that we may be going [CENSORED] months, you’ll notice I said maybe, they need artillery Sgts. over here so there us just a chance.

Most of the address I have are within a window of Fifty miles from [CENSORED…] so I guess I’ll be able to see them all if Im not worked to death, as they tell us here to prepare for a tough course, so Im not expecting any orchids or roses.

Well mom I hope you didn’t worry too much about me we had a swell crossing and since arrival here have had a cooks tour in that we have travelled the length of the country and seen a lot of starry nights at the expense of the Govt

Well I’ll be Sheting mah! Mouth and saying so long for now Ill write more often now. Bill.

F11177 Sgt. W.L.V.Hollett.

Canadian Army overseas

No.2.C.A.R.U.

England.