Canadian Corps Cyclist Battn.
Headquarters.
Army Post Office
London.
June 12^th 1916

My Own Dear Mother,

I suppose you are waiting for a letter from me, although you would get the few lines in Gran’s letter and you will know by that, that I have been on leave. Gran was fine, she seemed to be so well and in the best of spirits, they have had no zepp raids for a long time, and they do not expect any more. I went to Whitley, and saw the Dawsons, they seem to be doing well now, he has got a pretty good position travelling for some other Co. and they all looked very well. Bert was at home, he is in North Sheilds now, so we had a great time together. But I had the best time when I went to see Queenie, lord but she is a pretty girl now far more than when you saw her last and she is so nice, I had her all to myself this time, you see last time her Uncle was away, but now he is at home, therefore his sweet wife went with him instead of with me as she did the first time I was on leave. So I was up there three times, and I took Queenie out and I certainly enjoyed myself. I was there the last night, and when I left Queenie sent me to the car, and I can tell you it was quite a sorrowful parting. But I am getting over it now and looking forward to my next leave, if there is another before the end of the war. I saw the Youngs too, they were very nice, I had lunch with them on the Thursday, then in the afternoon I went on to Sunderland. Bert and I went to the Empire in Newcastle, I saw a splendid show there. we had dinner at Emmersons, the band still plays there, and everything is the same. The first night there, Wednesday, I took Madge to the Queens, and when we got in there was standing room only, so she made me get the money back, and we went out and tried a picture show, but the first picture fixed it, we came out. But we had lots of fun and I enjoyed myself very much. When I arrived at Gran’s, quite unexpected, they hoisted up the flag in the garden, and kept it there all the week. I did not see Edie she was home in Glasgow. When I got back here your letter was waiting for me, saying you were packing up to leave, so I suppose you will be there by now. Well I hope you will have some better weather than we are having, it does not know what to do in this country, we had nearly two months of splendid weather, warm and dry all the time, now it is just the opposite, rain, cold and wind, this will last for about a week, then we will get another spell of good weather. We are so used to this now, we do not seem to notice it. In fact it is raining sometime by the yard, and we think it is a lovely day everything nice and dry and the sun shining, then somebody will spoil it by mentioning the fact that it is raining. Well Mother dear that is about all I have to say to-night, I am in the best of health and spirits, and hope you, Eve and Dad are the same, Gran is so happy to know things are going so good. There is one thing I forgot to tell you. I met a very nice lady in London, Miss Mann of Pall Mall, I met her when I was waiting for the train from Kings Cross to Newcastle on my way up it did not leave until 11-30 pm and I met her about 7 pm, she took me to Hyde Park to hear the band showed me all the big buildings Pallaces and things, and gave me a real good time then she saw me safely to my train she was so scared I would get lost, so we arrainged to meet again. When I got to Grans, I found out what train I could catch down, so I wrote her telling her I would arrive in K.C. at 4 pm on the Wednesday, and there she was at the train when I arrived. Well I went and had a wash to clean up, put my rifle and pack in one of the clubs run by London ladies for soldiers, and took her to supper, and then a show which was very good. Doris Keane was the star. She is a splendid actress, so once more I enjoyed myself exceedingly, I took her home, then went to this club where I stopped the night. Next morning I left to come back to the old home. We had a rough trip across the channel but I was not sick. So I must say that on my leave I had a real good night. Give Eve a goodnight kiss for me. Hope Dad is keeping well.

With heaps of love  thousands of kisses
Your loving Son
Eddie
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