No. 8367
2nd Battn. G. Coy
1st Brigade
Can. O. Forces. Bustard
Salisbury

Jan.4.1915

Dear Mr Irwin,

Received your very welcome letter last night.  Was very glad to have a few lines from you & learn everything is alright with you.

Well things are about the same here, lots of drilling & marching, yesterday we went for a 15 miles march with full kit, came in about 3.30. & went out at 6.00. pm for another 8 mile march.  Tonight we will be trench digging for several hours.

Everything is being pushed rapidly ahead here & we hope to be on the battlefields before long, & I trust & know our Canadian boys will be able to give a good account of themselves as soon as we do get across.

Our Officers are having their farewell supper on Friday night & you can judge by that we shall not be here for a great while.  Our course of drill here will be completed in a few days & we shall be considered trained men.  I would have loved to have been at the “service” given by the local people, but of course under the circumstances cannot be with you.

We have a nice service on Sundays here on the plains with the sky for a roof, the singing is nice & can be heard a long way off.

In my tent is a fellow by the name of Arthur Peters who comes from Colborne, he says he knows you & has heard you preach dozens of times, do you remember him?

Todays papers tell of the bombardments of Yarmouth, quite a scare it has caused.

I was up to London & saw my Father a week ago & bid them all goodbye for the last time before the war ends & I hope it won’t be long before we are able to be together again.  Some of us are bound to go under, & I maybe one but I know it is all for a good & just cause, so I go with a clear conscience & whatever happens, I will be able to say,  ‘The Lords Will be done’.

Will close with best wishes to all & trust we shall be together again in the near future.

Sincerely yours,

 Walter T. Robus