Ward G.
Canadian Milit. Hospital
Kirkdale, Liverpool
Nov. 10., '17

My dear Lulu

It is Sunday night once more and I have just been listening to a local preacher in a large Methodist Church. I liked his sincerity and earnestness very much, but he began to deplore the times & to say that we ought to be as we were before. And all the time sitting there were mothers & wives & sisters & sweethearts who had given freely all they loved best for what they felt was right. At what time did men & women sacrifice so much? I would rather live a year in these times than two of the times before the war.

That is once more a lovely beginning to a letter to my dear Lulu! I wonder you don't sometimes tell me not to write such foolish letters. If you have some of my letters which I have written to you at various times you must find some considerable amusement rereading them. But never mind you can always leave out what you don't like and someday you can lecture me about it and teach me better ways.

I am sorry that I have no good news for you today, Lulu. They seems to have lost my board papers - the papers made out for my Invaliding to Canada by the doctors at Ramsgate. The result is that I have had to pass another Board. So far I can tell the same decision has been arrived at. But that puts me out of my chance of being on the next boat; and Melvin says my name is not on the list. Woes me!

But never mind, Lulu dear, I may be on the next. If I am in Canada for Xmas I shall count myself very happy indeed, and shall feel that God has given me infinitely more than I deserve. The next boat goes sometime this week & hundreds of men here are made happy. We love Canada very much these days.

One very pleasant surprise I had this week however. Peel is in this hospital & we have been together several times. You may be sure that I was delighted to see him. He is walking with a slight limp having had a large piece of flesh blown away from his hip; but fortunately it did not affect the bone. He is Invalid to Canada, but doesn't know when he is to go. Possibly we may return together.

The time is passing away quietly enough here. My workhouse home is clean & tidy and the food is good but very roughly served and often poorly cooked. The hours are very good too for we are allowed out from 1.30 till 8.30 p.m. Of course the time is tinged with disappointment why you see men going to Canada & you staying behind. In God's good time however I shall go too, Lulu dear, & then we shall be happy.

In my last letter, Lulu, I told you that I was not quite satisfied that I have done all I could to win the war, & now that my going is postponed I may be able to get an answer to this letter before I sail. If I should be adjudged unfit for further military service and discharged, do you think I ought not to offer myself for chaplainey? Not that I want to be away from Canada and you for that seems just like heaven itself to me now & I hate warfare with its dangers & sufferings & horrors more than ever. But I want to be worthy of an honest name and give you no cause to be ashamed of me. So many thousands of men have done & are doing far more than ever I have done. I am told that there is - or was some little time ago - a need for chaplains & that men who had served in the ranks were now preferred. But it may be that I shall be of more service at home. We must talk it over anyway, for we must do all that God asks of us mustn't we?

I have had no mail from you for a week now but I am full of hope. I wonder whether you got my photo safely, & what you thought about it! How did you like those coloured Judges post cards, & whether I did wrong in sending the last packet. I think I had better not send you any more pc's. You will be tired of getting them & be wondering what to do with them.

Well I must stop now for I am 'fed up'. The day these men leave I shall get a large bucket and shed torrents of tears. Well, I shall go down town & try to be cheerful. Look wise you know.

With best love, yours as ever

Tom