Dearest Arfel

I have just got the dear letter you wrote on Sunday and have read it over half a dozen times. I loved every word of it. Wing wanted to know what all that writing was about.

It is rumoured around about that there are to be 600 men stationed here and I am quite thrilled. It might be the 72nd you know and that case I think it would be better to keep the house. You could sleep at home and perhaps get your meals here (Captain Turner used to remember) and besides we would want to have the officers and other people on occasionally. We expect to know who is to come in a few days. You might find our from Captain Ritchie as he seems to have all the [?] of such things. Mrs Ritchie telephoned me and it was so nice to hear all about you and that you had dinner with them and were looking forward to having me down etc. I am coming after a while but I do seem to have to be so busy here and besides I want to be a brave soldier's wife dearie and it seems I am more use in Nanaimo just now than I would be anywhere else. I go down to the Daughters of the Empire rooms three times a week and we make pads and bandages and dressings and all sorts of hospital things. Then the Girl Guides have to have their lessons in First Aid and there is a bazaar coming on in the English church and Mrs Cockshott has inveigled me into that. So I am not idle and there is always somebody coming to keep me from being lonesome, and there is the garden, and just now lots of practice in tennis. I am going to play on Saturday after all, that is if you can play too. Be sure to let me know about the tennis. We go down by car and will get there about 2 o'clock and it will be so nice if my soldier lad is there to meet me. I am longing to see you in uniform. Captain C[?] wants to see you when you come up as he says he can give you a lot of pointers.

If it does not suit you to stay off at Chemainus for tennis be sure to let me know [?] and I would rather not play than to miss you all afternoon. There are plenty without me anyway. With loads of love and kisses from your loving Alice.