East Sandling
Kent
Dec 12/15

Dear Mother and Father

I wrote a note in a card that I sent you before dinner expecting you to get a letter by the [?] afternoon, but I was disappointed but maybe one will come tomorrow. We have to mail our letters today to catch the boat to be in time for Xmas. What do you think of the cards I got? I'm sending you a regimental card that I got yesterday. If these had of come in time I wouldn't have got the others but they didn't come till yesterday and I had ordered mine before. It's kind of chilly out today and I am going to stay in and write. Only two weeks from yesterday and Christmas. It doesn't seem the be very far off now.

I do not know whether we are going to have any leave at Christmas or not. We haven't heard about it yet. Leslie asked me to go up with him to London to his grandmothers for Xmas and Arthur wants me to go to Leeds or they asked me when I was there before I came back. I think I will go with Leslie if we get leave. I haven't got that box of apples that Father sent yet or the papers which you sent. It is kind of chilly today and most of the lads are staying in the hut writing letter and keeping the fire on. I suppose you heard Lord Derbys scheme of getting recruits. It certainly has worked very good and quite a number of fellows have joined but they are quite a number get walking around the cities yet.

I suppose you are having a good sleighing by this time in snow. I hear that there is no skating this winter because Arleen and Cecil will certainly miss it. I guess by this time this letter reaches [?] Frank will be home for his holidays. I have only got the one letter from Frank so far but expect another one any of these days. I guess [?] is full of soldiers now. Another Draft from the 79 [?] is on the road now and will soon be here. A draft landed from Toronto the other day. They certainly are disgusted with the grounds and weather but they will soon get used to it like ourselves. Uncle Jack gave me the address of a sister of his and said if I ever happened to be up as far north as [?][?] he would be [?] to see me. I sent one of my cards to Mr and Mrs Faryon and one of my pictures. I had a letter from [?] [?] yesterday in answer to me. I wrote to Mrs [?] and she said that quite a number of [?] have enlisted were in the city then. Has anyone else joined lately. I heard that Willy [?] had joined the [?] and that Charlie Hardy had also joined. I saw Jack [?] last Sunday. The [?] out [?] houses in [?] as they were under canvas before the cold weather set in. IU had a card from the Lawson family and a letter from Della.

Who have you got working for you beside Perey and how do you arrange [?] going to Church on Sunday? I guess it will be kind of hard for Arleen and Cecil to get to Sunday School.

I suppose Father has to drive Arleen and Cecil to school every morning. How did the last social come out and was it a big success like the last one? We have two and three concerts here every week. Parties travelling around and entertaining the soldiers. We also have a good regimental and [?] [?]. There is generally a [?] once a week. I haven't been down to [?] one for two weeks. It is generally late[?] day afternoon and nearly dark before we can get down. It is nice along the seashore on a bright sunny afternoon but things are so dear that I can't afford to go down very often. Eggs on Toast and tea will cost a shilling and I generally can eat about twice as much only for the cost.

Last Sunday evening we went down to Hythe to church in the evening it is a congregational church and they had sacrament. Leslie, Arthur and I stayed after the sacrament. They [?] a very good [?] generally have a social evening every [?] evening but I have been [?] these last two Fridays and so was able to get down, but the rest of the lad weren't down. Arthur doesn't have to do any fatigues because he is smaller and Leslie the same but there are to very many fatigues around here. Well Mother I think this is all for this time. Wishing you all a Very Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

From your loving son,

Jim

P.S. Kindly remember me to Mr and Mrs [?] and family