Camp Borden,
Oct. 24, 1916.

Dear Father -

I got the home letter last Thursday just after I mailed the one I wrote. I have recovered from that operation but we were inoculated again yesterday. It seems we have to be done 3 times within a given time or we will not benefit by it.

A week ago Sunday we had a picture of the battalion taken by the Blakemore firm of Toronto. I ordered one yesterday for $1.50, got a receipt for the money which I am sending home. If picture fails to come just remind the firm about it or demand the money.

We were Duty Battalion last Friday. I was on the Magazine Guard, which is some explosives stored at

[inserted at top of page] P.S. I think Thurs. is a holiday, they say it is visitors day. We deem it a small favor especially as even Angus is out of bounds for troops. [end of insert]

the Divisional Bombing School. It was 24 hrs guard duty each man having 6 hrs at intervals. When I was on at night they went to sleep and forgot to relieve me till an hour past the time. That is I had 3 hrs instead of 2, but anyway the extra hour just finished my 6 hrs so I was through for the day.

All passes for leave home have been cancelled, but some are away without leave like they did in London. According to all reports we leave Borden Friday, 27th. that is this week. All we know is that we are going East, presumably Halifax, but this morning we were ordered, even if we found out, not to divulge the time we sail, nor either the name of the port or the boat.

I will likely have time to write at the time we sail but then you wouldn't get the letter till after we had sailed. Anyway they might hold our letters for awhile.

There are only 8 or 9 Battalions left in Camp and I don't suppose there is more than 7000 men at most. Things are getting pretty quiet here. I think the last Batt. is booked to leave Nov. 4.

The weather has moderated somewhat but the moving infection seems to be in the air and most of the troops are anxious to leave. A good many of the men going overseas have relatives and are natives of Great Britain anyway. It is just like going home to them.

They claim we get eight day's leave soon after we get over there and they say you have a free pass the first leave, but we will have to find that out before we can believe it. At least soldiers travel for 1c a mile there.

I am glad you think you have enough of potatoes to last for the year as they seem to be scarce enough in Huron. Apples can't be very plentiful around home either especially when the neighbors have bought some. I think they sell snow apples 6 for 5c at the canteen here. The ones I brought from home lasted me till yesterday, and I didn't seem to spare them either.

I suppose the rain will help the ploughing quite a bit. You will likely have the mangels up and are the turnips going to yield pretty good?

I hope Will's knee is all better and by this time you will have the furnace going good again. I am feeling pretty well over the inoculation and I hope you are all well at home.

From your son,
John Strang