Dec. 22nd 1916
West Sandling Camp
Kent England
Dear Uncle and Aunt
Received your letter last night and was pleased to get a letter from you. It took 16 days for the letter to reach me. The 114th Battalion was broken up as it takes lots of men to keep them up to strengh at the Front. One Battallion at the Front which was with the 1st C.E.F. had has 10,000 men on its books. They have about 800 to 900 men to a Battallion so they use men up fast as reserves. There was about 500 men in the 114th that will go to France. The others are too young or too old. Men under 19 and over 45 years old are not taken to the front. The ones under 19 are used as guards here or are put in the Boys Battallion. Yes we will reinforce the 1st 4th 5th 6th Battallions at the Front?
Well just to think of it 42 men left today for France as a Draft to the R.C.R. Royal Canadian Regt. now at the Front. Some of them are Dunnville Boys.
Well Gorge Clark is dead. he died in the Hosipal here. He had a bad cold and the doctor here is no good, all they give for a cold is some pills which is useless. Had he been cared for as he should have been he would have got better. I also here one more of the Dunnville boys are dead.
"William Fox" & "Victor Edsall". William Fox is sick here in the Hosipal. Victor Edsall is in the Hosiptal sick and not expect to pull through. If any body wants to enlist they should be in perfect healh as it take a good man to be a soldier. Glad to tell you I am well and feeling fine, except my feet are a little damp at present. The weather here is about in one word and that is "Rain". It don't rain heavy but a misty drizzling rain all the time. So it's impossible to keep dry expeccilly my feet shoes. I got a letter from Mother the same time as I got yours.
Letter are good to me over here.
Well I am waiting for some Parcels now I think four are on the way now, But I hear they are behind in the Xmas Parcels about 2 months so I dont think I get mine till after New Years. Say I would like to be in your celler, and get some apples as they would go good over here. I got 3 apples to day and they cost me. sixpence. or 4 cents apeice. They say the apples I got came from Califorina. I am sending for souvenirs a three pennypiece and "a Farthing to you and" also a Farthing to give to "Steave". I sent Steve a three penny piece about a week ago in a letter. Don't send any money for Stamps as I got lots of money here. As I may be in France by the time a return letter reaches me use this address I put on a post card. I think I will be in France by the 5th of Jan. so a return letter will come from France. Some Soldiers and people over here think the war will end by next Spring, or before.
Best Wishes to You Uncle Soloman and Aunt Maggie.
from Arthur.
write soon.
I did not taste the salt water on the trip overseas. I expect to get about 4 parcels from Canada Any time now.
Glad dad is well and working in his Jensing bed.
