Bramshott

Aug. 6/16

My Dearest Mother and All,

As usual I can’t say much but you won’t be sorry to hear even that much. I wish I could see well enough ahead to tell you now the coming week’s experiences. It would make an interesting story for you and I’d be only too glad to know what is coming off, myself. Tomorrow we march 9 miles and return to be inspected by Sam Hughes.

Dinner, a bath, and washing done.

I’ve just washed up all the clothes I’ve got to take to France so I don’t have to worry over directy clothes for a little while anyway. In taking a bath I found a couple of lost shirts and 2 pairs of socks so I’m in something.

The baths are good here and I can have a good cold souse whenever we get in off a march. It’s great – next to a swim in the St. F.

Don’t worry over my being in France. For a long time - For 6 weeks or 2 months we will be back at the base doing fatigues and such work before we get to the first line trenches so the moving across the channel means nothing more than a change of camp and an [] of route marches. It also marks and Early return of peace for the 4th Canadian Division is meant for the big drive now well begun.

I got 2 bunches of papers from Dad this week and a good many of us found good reading in the F.M. & W.S. Mr. S. sent me a Literary Digest which was good reading too.

There was quite a Can Mail today but the P.M. didn’t see his way clear to give me any letters but the longer I go without mail the more I get when it does come and a good bunch of mail is the joy of my heart.

Yesterday I had my hair off close again. Sam Hannop has clippers and we make fair use of them. Two of the fellows shaves each other’s heads yesterday and Needham went into the dining room as bald as a platter. One fellow came along and went to put a bit of Jam on his head when N. turned around and plastered ¼ of a pound of margarine in the back of his fluffy red hair. Oh such a beautiful mess! Just as he did this another fellow landed a big handful of marmalade and margarine right in his bald pate. It all stuck like glue too. His head looked like a garbage can when he came back to the hut. Marggarine is the cheapest grade of butter procurable and it is an insult to make anyone try to enjoy it. It goes to waste like water in all camps.

Camp is very veryr quiet now for everyone has gone out for a stroll.

I guess I’ll write to Al and Lil now. Give my best regards to Mrs MacM. Dr G’s and everyone else in Lancaster. Is Aunt Annie still in Glengarry. It must be like old times for her and she’ll meet loads of old friends. I wish I was home to enjoy more of that shortcake for a few days. Hope Dad continues to gain in weight, May is better and that you don’t have any more sick spells.

I am

Your loving son

Mac