B.E.7. France

August 4, 1918

Dear Folks,

About a week ago the Y headquarters moved away from here taking with them not only all their equipment but our cook and our piano as well. We (i.e the members of the orchestra) expected to follow the next day, but we are still waiting patiently for a lorry to come and take us to goodness knows where. Apparently it has been decided that we are to remain here until everything is settled down at our new headquarters so we are getting our own meals and with two “primus” stove and a good supply of rations are getting along in first rate style. I think that now you might address letters to [?] Y.M.C.A headquarters 3rd Canadian Division B.E.7. France. In case I get sent back to the battalion my mail will of course be forwarded.

One morning last week I took a walk to a town about five miles away where I thought Will’s unit might be situated. I found the M.T. Park, but to my great disappointment learned that Bill was out on detachment. Great was my surprise then on the following evening to see him land in at the billet. He looked extraordinarily well and had a real moustache a much better one then I can grow. We hadn’t seen each other for seven months so of course had lots to talk about. He had with him several copies of “The Fireside Friggle” which Haddow had sent him. I thought they were very clever -some of your stuff  Marion is really excellent – and not least we enjoyed the photograph.

When I woke up the next morning it was pouring rain but feeling very restless, I set out for a walk which ended up at the M.T. Park so I saw Bill again for a little while at noon. He was out when I arrived and as they were very busy getting ready to move, I saw him for only a few minutes. We hope that we may be not so very far apart when we get settled down again and have invented a splendid plan for letting each other know where we are.

I was reading lately a biography of Lewis Carroll which gave some of the stories he used to tell to children and also some of his mathematical jokes. He was a logician as well as a mathematician and wrote a beginners book on logic which contains some very fancy syllogisms such as : No bold person needs a hair brush, No lizards have hair, No lizard needs a hair brush!

A very curious thing I thought was the fact that although a very clever mathematician he had no memory at all for dates and had to remember them had to event an elaborate memoriam technical which letters stand for numerals now, on the other hand (if it be not impious to compare small things with great) though I couldn’t follow a simple proposition in Euchid I could give you the dates of the birth of Richard Cobden, of the battle of Sadown and of the death of Charles Dickens to take a fair example at rundon which would seem to indicate a relatively good memory.

I got our letter from Father and one from Marion early last week both dated in June. Marion’s was written from Weston and Father’s told about meeting W Arcy Leck. Prospects are looking brighter these  days – if the Allick you [?] don’t make a mess of things – as hope I see you all in a few years. By the way do any of you know anything about the scheme or plan of demobilization?

Ever so much love to all,

George