Seaford Sussex

England

June 5/18

Dear Mother

Just received you letter dated May 3 today. It must take a long time for them to come now. But it doesn't matter how old the news is. It is new to me so keep them comming. If it takes a month for mine to reach you there must be about 14 more on the road at the same time. I am still feeling fine and I hope you are the same. I guess the hot weather will bother you some. I hope Hannah had a good time at the May day dance. Did Sonny do any dancing. I'll be he was to shy to butt in. He should have had me to do his share. I had a letter from Shindy with some pictures he took while on a trip to Spencer bridge. The were fine. It was too bad Hannah's were no good. How is dad I guess he is getting sun burnt pretty black. I got a letter from Aunt Jim today saying she got my letter. She said judging from my picture I must be tall. I sent a picture when I wrote her but forgot to say I was 6 feet long. She said she would be a mite along side of me. She must be pretty small. Uncle Charlie had been there and was taking my picture over to Uncle John's So they are all close together. I will see them all at once. Uncle Davy's John is in Scotland getting his commission He must have got on pretty good. I don't think he is home though. He is in Stirlingshire somewhere I could like to see him.

We are still in quarantine but expect to get out soon. When we go to the other camp we can have our choice of the three Canadian Regiments now fighting. The 7th the 29th or the 72nd. Don't be surprised if I take the Kilties R whole lots of us are thinging of going in together. I guess you will all laugh. Sonny will be disgusted but by the time you get this I'll be in one of the other. It dont make much difference any way does it. I guess dad would think it a great joke if I did take the 72nd. Hannah wouldn't want me talking her to a dance with my knees stick out all over eh!

Say mother did you get my money all right. We got payed a pound the other day and I didn't see where any had been taken off. Don't worry about me not having any money I have plenty I got some changed and they would only give a pound for $5 where the value is $1.18 and 2 D. I'm getting on to the money pretty good you have got to watch these English guys. They would short change us every time if they could. I tried to buy chocolate bars but couldn't get them at all. There is hardly anything decent to buy. Dry biscuits pepermints or liquorice is the only confectionary stuff for sale. Even the cherry gum is punk it is the same price as at home. Tuppence ha' pen'y a package of spearment but is not any good. The boy that buy tobacco have to pay big one fellow pay 1S 1 ½ D for one package of Bull Durham that cost 107 in Vancouver. Nearly 3 times as much. They say that when we go on leave we get a meat ticket a margarine ticket and a sugar ticket so we can get something to eat.

I just got a letter from Tommy Russel he is at Frenshain Pond. He say he don't know a soul in the bunch where he is I think he would like to be with us

Well this is all at present mother so I will close with love to all. Hoping to hear from you soon I am your loving son

John