M.B.C.H.
17/1/17
9 P.M..

My Darling Sister,

You can imagine how glad I was to receive yours of the 3^rd, to-night, when I tell you that it is the first letter I have had, since I think last Friday. I believe now tho, that the mail has been held up at Seaford. Your letter made a record trip, leaving the 4^th P.M. and here the 17^th P.M. I think that is the best yet.

Since I last wrote home, things have been happening some. I wrote Sunday and was then on ward 3 expecting to go back on 5, Tuesday. About eleven o’clock Monday morning, I brought a barrow of coal down and found the Sgt. waiting for me. He asked me if I would go on nights for a week to help him out and I said sure. He said ward 31 then I said “nothing doing,” but told him I would go on 5. He said he could fix it up all right, so I quit work and after dinner, went down to the billet and tried to sleep, but did not make a very good job of it. I only took my hat off, so probably that accounts for it. I thought a week nights would be a nice change and if I cared for it, I could stay a month. I found after, that I had to take ward 6 too, which meant 68 beds, but as they are nearly all “up” patients, it is not bad.

I come on duty at 6.30 PM., sometimes there are slips to make out, (sisters work, but I do all I can, to learn the work) but there is not much to do except the fires, till 7.30, then I draw a pail of cocoa for each ward and see they all get it. Then at 8, put out the lights, raise the shades, open the windows and pass around the cough medicine. This settles everyone pretty well for the night. I have two small water heaters and the two office stoves, which require attention every hour or two, but I read and write till eleven, when I go up for my dinner, fix the fires and read and write again till 3.30 or 4. Then I polish the two office stoves and the office taps, sweep the office and entrance, this takes about an hour, then shave and wash up. At 6 A.M. I light up, get bowls of water for the “bed” patients to wash (about ten) draw milk and bread and help with dressings till 7. Now to breakfast and bed, till 4.15 or 4.30 again. It is not hard work, and after coming out of hospital, it is a good opportunity to get rested up.

Of course if there are night dressings to do, or emergency cases come in, there is more to do. They will hardly bring me emergency cases tho, as I am the only one in the Surgical Division with two wards. Sister McKinnon from Lindsay is on with me, she has 4, 5 and 6. A cousin of hers is training in Wellesley now but I don’t know her name. She (Sister) is very nice

Rene Weston is Orderly Officer to-night, and has just made his rounds. I will go over to his hut soon and have a talk with him.

Alas, tho all things must end, this will likely be my last night on. We are onto in A.D,M.S orders to-night to leave and will come out in M.B.C.H. Orders to-morrow, and leave tomorrow if our relief gets here in time. We don’t know whether we are going to Seaford or Eastbourne first, but will be glad for a change anyway.

Say its nearly eleven, a piece of the luminous came off my watch hand and stopped it. I must get busy for a few minutes, will be back later. Well it is after twelve now, I have had dinner, a good chat with Capt. Weston, and fired up.

I received your money order O.K. but have not had a chance to cash either, as they are payable in Folkestone. The others were for Shorncliffe Camp Post Office, which is just about five minutes walk across the plain and I need the money. I have only 1/7 so I will go up town in the morning, if we are to go away, and cash these, also I will post the parcel to you containing camera etc., if possible. It is very likely, that your parcel is being held at Seaford, till we get there. Everything is so uncertain that it is very hard to know what to do. I still have no idea, when we will get away, I mean the exact time, so I don’t know where I am at. I also want to mail a bunch of my stuff, to myself, as we have to carry everything, and may have a nice long walk. Then I left some films downtown to be printed and will likely have to send for them.

That was just like Clara Walker to run home. If they find out, she will get the deuce.

This army life beats the deuce. I want to go up town in the morning, and any old M.P. (military police) who takes the notion, has a perfect right to arrest me on sight, but I have to take the chance. If I go up town in the afternoon, it is the same thing. If I go to a theatre and am coming peacably home, any time after 9.30 I am apt to get it just the same.

I have to be right on the job, the minute the bugle blows in the morning, and at noon again, when I am marched under police guard, up to dinner. To-night when I went up to get my dinner, a police met me at the door, with “Are you on night duty” “What ward?”

If I express my thoughts out loud to a sister or M.O., I am up for company office and C.B., if I am caught eating on a ward, I get it again. If I don’t salute an officer, in the neck again. Say when I get back to civil life, can do and go, what and when I like, keep my light on as late as I like, and leave the shade up if I like, I won’t know what to do. I will be afraid to sleep in on Sunday, for fear I get C.B.

I often wondered why Sunday had to be and never appreciated it, but a seven days a week job is too much for me.

Cheer up tho, this time 1919 I hope to be where I can do what I like.

Loving brother,
Worth.

[note added later by Worth’s mother to the back of the last page:]

Deer Mina –
Have just answered these letters and it is after eleven. So I must get to bed as it will be after twelve before I get there. Nerta at Barbara Browns at a musical and wore her new Brown dress for the 1st time – How thoughtful – eh.  
well
Mother –