Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
Date: March 25th 1917
To
Nen
From
Bev
Letter

Regent Palace Hotel,
Piccadilly Circus,
London, W.

March 25th 1917

Dear Nen:-

Up in London again this week end maybe for the last time for a while. I was up last week end too and had a rotten time. In the afternoon I was going in to tea at a tea room and who should I run into on the stairs going down but Don Masson. We weren't very surprised as this kind of thing happens quite often and I've met a bunch from Ottawa. He was just back on leave from France for 7 days and seemed to be having a good time out there. He is going to be moved to the Somme front however and will not be so comfortable there I guess.

I wrote Less about a week ago but have had no reply yet or I might have gone to Hastings as it is only 30 miles from Forest Row. He may have moved however. The Army post office was a bum address as I have had no mail yet. I wish I'd given one of the Banks instead. However, you may as well write to Forest Row now as it will follow me if I move which I may do shortly.

I guess, I will call on Mrs. Horsey this afternoon If I can find the place. I know my way fairly well about the uptown part of London now although when you get lost you only have to make for the nearest tube and you can go anywhere for 3d. I went right across London from Golders Green to Charing Cross for it. Maudie will tell you where that is. Please remember me to her and Charlie.

I've searched all over for a music store but have no luck yet. I'll try again tomorrow as the Major has given us leave till then to get more kit. Tell Ella there are some swell tunes if I can only get a hold of them. I hear that no more magazines can be sent from Canada. That's pretty tough as these give me a pain. We don't get an awful lot of time to read, however, as I always hit the hay about 9. My other room mate has left for his course at Lark Hill and another fellow has come in his place He's an Englishman who was a homsteader in Canada and has done all kinds of jobs as logging, constructing railways etc. He's not a bad guy but of course is a bit of a roughneck still we pull together all right.

We've been doing the usual things all week. Riding and driving and ranging and gun drill. We had an exam in gun drill and I came second with 80. One fellow who has finished his Lark Hill course and is just waiting to go over failed in it somehow or other.

Major General Van Straubenzee inspected us on Friday. He's a Canadian and went through R.M.C. although in the Imperials. He talked to us for a while and asked us where we came from. He didn't ask about the College, however.

When riding through some gorse the other day I scared a big fox out. First live one I'd ever seen and he sure did make tracks. My horse was scared stiff and pulled some funny stuff in kicking and rearing. The horses are an awful bunch and have only had one decent one so far.

I guess I'd better can this now, love to Ella and Dad.

Bev