South Hampton
April 20, 1917

Dear Mother,

Well I suppose you have been wondering why you have not heard from me. Well I have just neglected writing any letters lately as usual, but anyway I am well and having a pretty good time lately and which perhaps partly accounts for my neglectfullness.

I have left Shorncliffe and and now at the rest camp here waiting to go over at any moment. I was up to London again for a couple of days and had a good time. We have been on this draft for about three weeks and I was so [?] of course no more than the rest of the fellows. I could not settle down to write a letter although I guess we will soon wish we could get back to Eng again. I hope to see Munro soon although I have not heard from him for a couple of months and the E. Le. H has been in action lately so I do not know whether anything has happened to him or not but I guess not he is likely like myself.

The reports these days are very promising, especially the Canadians are making names for themselves and also the Cavalry are beginning to take part, so we may get a chance to participate in and get [?] perhaps more than we want. I guess it will last some time yet.

Tell Dalton I know that Gilander. He went to France some time ago with an R.C.L. Draft. I got some snaps taken on horseback and I will send some when I get them. We had quite a march up here yesterday from the docks, as they decided not to send us across as two boats had been sunken that day just outside of the docks a short distance. It was about three miles and we are not much accustomed to walking and we had to carry our kit bags which were not very light, also our swords and then we have to march back again when we go away.

I had a letter from Will Taylor. This is certainly a pretty place the best I have seen in Eng and and it must be much more nicer in summer. I met the wife of the officer whom I used to be baleman for when he was in Shorncliffe. He is with the C.L.H. in France now and hope to see him. I [line unreadable due to fold in paper]. in London and she certainly was pleased to see me and she is a very nice woman.

How is everybody. I think you did well to sell that place. I did not get up to see Mrs. Owen but wrote to them. I suppose you hear all the war news these days. It is great isn't it. I hope I am there for the finish, as I always wanted to be there and I am getting across about the time I expected to. So maybe I do not know something about this war eh. Well good bye and hope to hear from you if I reach France, so good bye again and do not worry about me [line folded and unreadable]. me miserable to think that you are.

From Hadden Trooper H.W. Ellis
#228140
Canadian Light Horse (C.L.H)
France
BEF