Epsom
Feb 10 ‘18

Dear Dad,

Just about now you are (if I judge rightly by your old custom) clearing the remains of last night’s snack from the kitchen table – the cheese, bread (white man’s bread, too) & cold tea. It is somewhere around noon here and I haven’t done a thing today yet excepting, eat breakfast, make my bed, bath, and read. (My church going comes at night here).

The breakfast was bon – all the grub here is, and there is a good amount of it: the bed is a treat – actually white sheets to sleep in and changed twice per week, per-haps: the bath is a good hot shower and part of my daily routine: and my reading is a mixture of David Copperfield and Michael O’Halloran (by Gene Stratton-Porter). This afternoon I’ll read again and tonight go to church in Epsom (2 miles away). Our week nights I play chess to while away the time and although I have lost every game I played in every tournament I’m enjoying getting more interested in the game.

A letter from Ewen yesterday informed me that all the money to his credit could be had for the asking when I went on leave. That’s Ewen isn’t it. But I won’t need his help this trip for Miss Mills wrote yesterday to say that there was 10:8:4 waiting for me in her care which came from home. Thank you very much for sending it, for it is a relief to know that it is there as my “relief fund” and, I won’t be

able to draw much on my discharge from here because of my trips to Nice and Paris. She offered in a previous letter to send me money to keep me going. I didn’t take it, and now she says she hopes I was not hardpressed for cash down here! If she only knew that my accustomed state is that of being broke she wouldn’t have mentioned it.

Food is mighty scarce in London – even the Mills family, well-to-do as they are can hardly make it go but the ration scheme will make a big change.

Everett Henry is with the R.N.A.S and training now at Reading. A letter from him yesterday told of the good time he was having and tried to make me decide to apply for the Air Service but I guess I’m like Pat – don’t mind how high I go so long as I have one foot on the ground. I had a trial flight at Passchaendale and the result is – I am here.

Web is pretty jake but he needs a while yet to lengthen his breath out for he still breathes short as he used to last winter. But he has had two tests and he has not got T.B.

That’s about my budget now Dad. Don’t bother your heads too much about me for I’m in Blighty (it’s hard to realize after 17 months of the mix but it’s true) and I’m “Abso-bloomin’-lutely trays beans.” Comprie?

With love to all
I am your loving son
Mac

Address now (That will always reach me wherever I am as I write these for my mail)
No.
Name
(42 R.H.C.)
Canadian Record Office
Green Arbour House
Old Bailey
London EC4 Eng.