Sapper H L. Irwin #2339.
Can Engineers
c/o Can Ordnance
Ashford
Kent

Jan 18. 16.

My Dearest Mother

I have not heard from you for over two weeks now, I guess you are too angry to Write, But Mother I could not realy be an old batchelor all my life And if you could see how happy we are together, you sure would foregive us right away, I have such a Darling Wife, and could not live with-out her now, although we have no money we are nearly happy, I have not got payed for six weeks now and have barrowed all the money I could off my chums, and stell I owe a weeks rent, my Poor lettle wife is worring her lettle head off, But I tell her not to worry every thing well come out right in end it is cheeper to move then pay rent so we have moved from our lettle house on Wolseley Road, to a much better house on Linden Road, it is farther out of town But much larger, and much more comfortible & our meals are much better too, The Lady of the house is much nicer to us, then the old couple was, they would not even give us a fire or light, and then they got nasty about the rent I owed so we moved; I dont know when we are going to get payed because all our pay Books are in London geting fixed up, and we can not get payed untell they come back, But if you have sent the $15 00 we will be all right

Will I am stell at Ashford working in shop., I am chief Engineer & Electrican now, But I am geting very tired of this job as we can’t get any clothes or money or any thing, so if things don’t change very soon I am going back to my unit.

Will Mother the parcle was fine, we just finished the Oxo last sunday night, if it was not for the parcle last week we would have starved to death, the pudding was sure fine also the cake, I have not eat the tooth paste or the cold cream yet or the tooth brush, But if we get hungry next week we will eat them too, also the soap if we don’t get payed for long,

It rains here nearly all the time. But not very cold, all my colds have gone sense I have been married, I guess it is to much love that keeps them away, But never mind I am as fate & foolish as ever, & my wife & I are coming back to Canada as soon as the war is over if you will foregive us & let us come back, that is if we don’t starve to death befor then, we sent you some wedding cake, also some Photos of us, Hope you rec them O.K. And please excuse our faces as it would be a good Photo if our faces wasent there, But we will try and improve befor we come back to Canada,

Say Mother tell Greta to get married, even if she has to starve to death like we are doing it is better then single life any way.

Will Mother I must close now and wait untell I hear from you again. We are both very well. Hoping you the same, and with all our love from your loving Son & Daughter.

I will always remain your

loving son Harold

send to Can Engineers
Can Ordnance Corp.
Ashford.
Kent