Edingurgh Nov 20th. 1918

My Dear Father & Mother:

Just a line tonight before I go to the show (Luck of the Navy) along with one of the boys from my own unit McCaughy by name.

I am having a fine time have forgotten all about the past sixteen months, I only wish that you were over here to see some of the sights - this is a beautiful city - the prettiest I have ever seen, & that is taking into consideration the fact that this is a very bad time of the year to be up here; - but my luck as usual fine weather!

I was out to Queen's Ferry to see the Forth Bridge & the Firth today & it certainly was a wonderful sight - the whole fleet it there at anchor as far as I could see there was nothing but battle ships - it is no wonder Fritz had no chance against our navy, you would think the same if you could only have seen them. I have not been up in the castle yet but am going to go through it tomorrow.

I left Glasgow yesterday at 1 P.M. & got here at 2.5 P.M. - I had a lovely time at Balloch & Mrs. Morton was very, very nice; she could not have been kinder to me - Isabell her daughter is very nice & rather a good looking girl - she works in a bank in Glasgow & comes home every evenin' before supper on the train (you can get trains in this country like street cars in Vancouver - every half hr.) I used to spend most of my time in Glasgow sight seeing, & meet her at night before supper - café - theatre & ect - ten P.M. train home & a big feed for us ready when we got in.- But just between you & I according to your discription of her sister in Canada she is very like her get me? On Sunday we took a lunch & spent the day up by Loch Lomond & although the weather was not much we had a pretty good time & Isabell was very "loving" - I guess she would have axcepted me there & then - but this boy is not so easily caught - she is 25! When I went away from Glasgow she came over to the Queen St. Station to say good by & gave me a big hug & kiss right on the platform!!!

Tell old George Stuart that I was down the Broomie-law (can't spell it) & the "salt market" & that I don't think it has improved much since his day as it is as tough as the d___ get-: I was down on it on Saturday afternoon & that evening after much coaxing I induced Miss Morton to take a walk down it with me at 9:30 P.M. as I wanted to see it in full swing & it sure it was drunken women all over the place - but I think I have seen nearly as bad around Waterloo in London.

I have to report in London at 8.30 A.M. on the morning of the 25th for France - it will be all right over there now though & a fellow will be a bit more certain of seeing the next days sun rise. I hope I never have to go through anything like that fight from Arras to Cambrai again - especially the Nord Canal business again.- It was cruel the way the put the Canadians in the assault of the Bourbon Wood the Field art. got it bad enough but our poor Infantry; it was h___ to see those poor boys coming out - what was left of them. I happened to see for myself the 72 going in & one of there lads told me they two hundred men over strength that was the night before we attacked Bourbon Wood. Now from the Nord Canal up to Bourbon Wood the country is flat with no cover - it rises slightly for the 2 kilos from the Canal to the Wood which is on a high ridge - our front line was in (?)-en-Artois about 300 yds W. of Canal. Well they crossed the Canal all right but when the got this gentle rise which goes up to the wood they were simply murdered. Fritz had the wood full of machine guns & whiz-Bang artillery (which we captured) well I was up to the wood at 4 that afternoon - believe me my memory was branded there - the 72 came out at six (battle worn) that night we passed them on the road - one hundred & four men with the pipe band (small section of pipe band.)

Well I must go to the show now will write more in a day or two

With love from

Bill