Witley Camp.
Surry.
March 1st.
My Dear Papa:
Well I guess it is about time I answered those letters of yours which I received three days ago (written on March 1st, 2nd & Jan 30th)
Please tell John that the West Girls had nothing to do with those pictures of mine, but I wish they had for they do real good work.
What do you think of the British push at (?)? I guess the Turks are getting it down there all right.
I will be very pleased to get the tobacco you are sending, but I laughed when you told me to put an apple in it to keep it damp. I am living in England now, where everything is damp & apples cost 3d. each & small ones at that.
Pee-Wee must be an awful swell with long pants - are they peg-tops & does he still get shaved at the barber shop?
Well it was a pitty about Arthur having to face 15 below on the way to Hammonds. I wish he had to groom a team of these mules around the fetlocks a few times. - he would learn how to groom them! & also the art of self defence!!!
About that assigned pay of mine, keep on sending it till you get definite word from me that I am in France.
So Charlie Trimble got married over here did he, she must be a dandy; - I know the type he would get I guess she picked him up & worked the trick - they all want us to take them back to Canada with them. You surprised me very much when when you told me that Mamma was scared I would married also.
So you heard from Guss did you. I immajin that he would be very stuck up & important over his two stars, the men on the survey party had no use for him & if they had not believe me he would not be very popular amongst the men in the army.
I am must be in an awful outfit for grub if all his yarns are true, as according to men we met hear from France they get more grub than we get here & the Lord knows they all look fine & fat.
I got a parcel from Jean Davidson yesterday with some stuffed dates & biscuits in a tin box, around the box there was a pr. of socks, & then she went & sewed some cotton around the whole works & most of it was also sewn to the socks to! Wait till I tease her about it in my next letter.
I was up to Bramshott on Sunday to see Dan McIsaac he looks fine & fat, but is dead tired of the Infantry. I am trying to get him into the collumn. He introduced me to an A. G. McIsaac from Inverness he knows you & old Port Hood days - he is a Seargent in the 185th Highlanders. Dan's outfit was the MacKenzie tartan, he is in the 17th reserve batt.
I was to a dance last night at the Kitchener's Club in Gudalming. Whyte was with me & we took the two girls from Wests & had some time. We had passes to 2 P.M. so we had lots of time (If you stay out after 9 P.M. now you have a pass but they are easy to get).
We were out on Manuevers today & I had a swell job, was a dispatch rider for the section & did nothing but gallop all day with orders on a fine horse (the one I sent you in the picture) & it is a change from driving a team.
Well I guess I will
close love for
all from
Bill