August 24th, 1915
Dear Brother – Jack & B;

Just a few lines to let you know I am well. Hoping this will find you all the same. Well, I am disgusted with the whole bunch of you, never a letter from anyone and not one from home either. Well, if you don’t want to write, you don’t have to – that is the way I feel about it.

Today, I have been cranky as hell all day. I had a fight first thing this morning with one of the N.C.O. You know what they are. I was in the ranks and I was not in line – that is what he said – but I was in line and was standing easy and he came up behind me and caught me by the shoulders and gave me a yank backwards. I caught him one on the kisser that laid him cold and I planked one of my big army shoes on his nose and it was flat on his face when I got through with him. He won’t bother us for a couple of weeks. Our platoon officer saw the whole thing. He said I done what is right. If he wanted me to move, he should have told me, not push me. So I got out of that alright.

I have never been up for orders yet. I got a good clear record so far. Well, Jack, I am trying to get into the machine gun section. I think I can get in alright. They are drilling us to death. I don’t think we will be here very long. They are sending a draft out next week straight to the Dardanelles. I don’t care how quick they send me; it will be over all the quicker.

Say, we do not get big money here – 24 cents a day and I have not seen a damn cent except one shilling – that is 24 cents since I joined, so I cannot get drunk or even buy tobacco. If we don’t get any money next week, we are going on strike.

I was inoculated last week and had a damn sore arm for a couple of days and will get the same dose again next week. I wish you would send me The Post. Do you think you could send me one Ingersoll watch and a bunch of papers. There is not a watch in the whole lot of us and you can’t get one here. If you do send me one, get one of them small wrist bands, as we have no pockets that we can carry a watch in well.

I will have to come to a close for this time. Hope you will take time and write an answer to this letter as I won’t write any more until I get a letter. Give Mary and Teddy a kiss for me. Give me all the news when you write. How is the Lord Duke? I suppose he is running a business for himself by this time. Will write to Sam and Flo next week. I wonder, did Eugene get the badge I sent him in papers? It was my regiment number and name. Will send Mary one of my buttons next week. That is all I can send as I’ve got to borrow a penny to mail a letter.

Did you ever hear from Vernon MacLeod? How is he getting along, or is he dead? He has a better chance than the other fellows have in France. We are all for Dardanelles. They are raising hell with the men by all accounts. Well, never mind. It is not worrying me any if they get me. They won’t get much, but I will try and get a few of them first. They can’t beat me on the bayonet. I am going on instruction next week on bayonet drill. I will make some of the English sit up and take notice. Now be sure to answer this letter right away – the same old address.

Give my love and best regards to all.

From your brother,
Lee