18th Reserve Batt.
Seaford, Sussex
Feb. 12, 1917

Dear Aunt Lily,

I suppose by this time you will have returned to Yellow Grass and ready for the spring work. I imagine from the tone of mother's letter you had a splendid time in the East, and the girls enjoyed Jean's visit. We are still sending men across to France and receiving wounded in return and I hope it will not last much longer. We are a 2000 strong Battalion here, having joined the 144th and are now the 18th Reserve Batt and we are sending 200 over today.

We have had a long spell of frosty weather, not even getting soft in the middle of the day but today it is changed to spring weather. The cool weather has seemed to help my health and I am feeling fine. About half the Batt. are quarantined for mumps, I am amongst the unlucky. There are 20 other N.C.O.'s here in this Hut and of course we don't have to do the ordinary drill, being instructors, and therefore are having a fine time to ourselves, so perhaps we are lucky as it is giving us a chance to clear up on correspondence, in which I was away behind, as I had so much work to do in the Orderly Room. We are confined here until the 1st of March & if more cases are contracted it may be longer.

Major H.B.R. (Harry Richey) is possibly 20 miles from here but my chances of seeing him are very slim but we are corresponding and may run across each other in some City while on leave. The scenery here is not as nice as in Bramshott but the sea is handy and that helps me to remember Lake Ontario.

Remember me to all.

Cecil