No 2 General Hospital
Maitland
April 6/18

Dear Mother:-

How the time flies past and I am still in S.A. But I dont expect to be here long now as all the Imperials are leaving for England. Tomorrow I get another birthday the third since I left, so you see I am getting older every day. My looks however are just the same and I can pass for eighteen any-day. Sometimes its best when you meet a girl about seventeen. I expect to go for an auto ride tomorrow about seventy-five miles up country so am looking forward to a pleasant birthday.

We were over to a church near here last Wednesday to supper and met a very nice bunch of old an young people both. They gave us a very nice time and plenty to eat and we did the rest. Some of the old people were quite surprised at meeting Canadians so far away from home, but we left a good impression of our soldiers as it is the best way to advertise.

I sent some post cards yesterday in an envelope so I suppose you will get them the same time as this letter. I have taken a few snaps of the boys and girls here but as yet I have nothing to amount to much.

A lady came in to see us yesterday with a couple of girls at the request of a girl we met in a jewelry store down town. You see its funny how we get acquainted but we advertize Canada pretty freely. The lady was very nice, brought us a lot of magazines and invited us over to her house to spend an afternoon and have tea. I guess we will go some day next week.

The weather here although it is winter is very warm but the sun is not strong enough for us to wear helmets which is quite [?] as we wore nothing else for about two years.

Cape Town is a nice place and the people are very nice but any place with the name of Africa dont agree with me any more now. As the Canadian Commissioner said “There is no place on this continent a white man’s country” and I agree with him.

Well I think I will close now with lots of love so Bye Bye

Your loving son
Harold.