Thursday Nov. 23/1916

#460609 Pte L Sinclair

Canadian War Hospital

The Beach, Walmer.

Kent England.

My Dear Mother:-

I have held this letter up in hopes that another one of yours would arrive from France but only the one I’d received in Ireland has turned up so far. When they do come I suppose they’ll all be in a bunch, but they have my address where ever we’ve been and I’m expecting them any day now.

Well I have every hope of spending Christmas somewhere in England and I’ve sick leave of ten days to come yet. I can go any place on this island on that I beleive, coming from France and I’d like to take in Edinburgh. However I’ve been asked to spend a few days in London at Bert Chalks aunts and I would like to see Art & Pat over here also.

Well I hope your all well at the house. I suppose its getting pretty cold just now. We haven’t been getting to bad weather at all considering its their winter months. The first half of the week was rather damp, raining off and on but its not a heavey rain, at times its like a heavy mist. When the sun comes out its quite warm and one can go out without a coat although the evenings get rather chilly.

It gets very foggy at times and beleive me this is an awful dark place when it is. The houses and stores along the beach here facing the sea do not show any light at all from their windows or infact even those farther back. If there is your notified by the coast guards and its up to you to cover the window or where ever the light is showing.

Some nights its very fine out, one can walk up the promenade and watch the boats out in the harbor. They’ve lights on the bow and stern of each boat and thats all the light showing from each vessel. Theres so many tho at times, It looks like a village lit up out on the water.

How is winnipeg looking just now? I wish you’d send me a postcard or two of the place. I guess the old river rink is up again and skating as usual. I saw a few flakes of snow Sunday but it didn’t amount to anything. I’ve still Mrs [?] wristlets and your gloves I hung on to them pretty good, also the pipe. The wristlet I wore all last summer while in the Salient and again at the Somme until I got your gloves.

Well I like watching the waves roll in. Ive been out on the old pier here time and again, watching them fish, and the old town looks pretty from the end of the pier. Did you get my cards. I’m sending one of the hospital. It faces the beach and one can see quite aways on a clear day from the windows.

How is Peggy coming along and whats Flo doing with herself. I hope the boys are all well and that your fixed for winter. How is old Fleet Ave? Have you still your same neighbors? I wish you’d remember me to Mr and Mrs Kerr and give them my very best regards, also Mrs Lobbau and Mrs [?], Mrs Shrantz and Mrs Orde.

That candy you sent me last summer I received at Tournehem about 14 kilometers east of Calais where we put in two week on our way up to the Somme. There is a lot of (sort of limestone.) about there and on one of the hills back of the village one Sunday afternoon a half doz. of us who had come out together printed Winnipeg on the side of one of the hills and you could see it all over the place. Whether its there now or not I dont know.

Well mother I’m off to bed as it is almost bed time so had better close. I hope you keep yourself well and with heaps of love to you and all, I am as ever

Your loving son

Larry. 

P.S.

I’m jake as I ever was but am going to stretch it as long as I can.