From: Witley Camp, Godalming
18 Nov. 1916

Dear Mother -

I received your letter of Oct. 29 yesterday. In it you acknowledge receipt of letters and pamphlets I sent from London. I was very glad to hear that you had got everything I sent OK. It was strange too that they should all come on different nights. I thought overseas mail usually came in bunches. It does here. About once a week, there is a big bunch of Canadian mail and the rest of the time only a few English letters.

It hasn't rained scarcely at all here for the past two weeks but has seemed very cold especially lately, altho it is very little below the freezing point. Just now, it is snowing a little for the first time.

The last 2 days, I have received four very interesting letters. On Oct. 20, I wrote a letter to Joe Greig and on Nov. 16 received an answer. It had been written on Nov. 2. When I was handed the letter, I could not at first imagine where it was from. The name and address was scrawled on in pencil and written over in a couple of places to make it plainer. The envelope was very dirty and soiled. In one corner was the signature of an officer of 46th Bty. and it was stamped with censor's stamp. There was no stamp on it as all letters from front do not need stamps. It was written in a dugout beside his gun while the rest of the detachment were on duty. You know, they left England I think sometime about June 1st so have been at front for about 4½ or 5 mos. For while they were at the Ypres salient where they had to exercise great care to keep concealed from enemy airships - now, they are somewhere else where our airships have superiority and it is safer. He says there has been only three casualties since they went to the front. A sergeant named A.C. Smith whom I remember was wounded at Ypres. A fellow named Scotty and another were killed where they now are. He says it has been raining steadily where they are for the last 2 weeks. It seems they all get the "itches" and get covered with lice when in the dugouts - can't get clean clothes I guess so that he says their favourite pastime is "picking their shirts". I was very glad to get his letter and to know that he is getting along so well.

On Nov. 17, I received 3 letters. One from you, one from Josephine Stagg (by the way, in a previous letter, she sent, she said that the McKinnons were only distant relatives and that she had never seen Norman or Laura) and a short letter from Wm. Brown of Ireland - an answer to a letter I had written him awhile ago - I think I told you about it. He is evidently living in same place and still unmarried and lonely - that is about all he tells.

I am glad you liked those pictures I sent. I have since sent 3 more, together with 2 postcard pictures. I got two dozen of those little ones so can send you more still. They cost, if I remember right, a shilling a dozen. I sent quite a few away - 6 to you, 2 to Cecil, 1 to Clarence, 1 to Joe Greig, 2 to Gladys, 2 to cousin Grace, 1 to Josephine & 1 to Irene Robertson.

Our brigade was inspected yesterday by an artillery officer and I believe we did very well. While the drivers are now driving and riding every day, the gunners work on the guns learning gun laying and section gun drill. I feel real well these days and altho it has been pretty cold out drilling these days, at night we have lots of blankets and sleep two together so that we are real warm and comfortable.

I shall return in this letter, the letter you sent me from Wm. Brown and also the one he wrote me. I shall keep his address but I shan't at all likely be able to go there. I would rather, if I had another leave, see a bit of Scotland.

Well, this will be all for this time. Very best of love to you and Harold and Arthur.
Yours sincerely,
Gordon