Address reply to Bandsman H Cunliffe No. 163,047
Band Section [X?] Company Headquarters Battalion 84th Reg't.
Sat july 1st 1916

Dear Kiddo

I write these few lines hoping to find you all well as it leaves me at present, I guess you will think it a long time before I have written to you, well the fact of the matter is we only landed in camp here last Thursday night exactly two weeks after we left Toronto, Billie and I, are feeling pretty good after it all, I was seasick the first night and then I was doing dandy until they began the zigzag business, to dodge the submarines, the last day but one, and then I was sick for a little while till I got used to it, I am sorry I cannot tell you which boat we sailed on, or which way we came, or anything else of an informatory character, regarding milatary matters, they would not let us write any letters or send any telegrams, until 4 clear days had past after we had left the boat, but I can tell you all about the train journey from where we got off the boat, I was only thirty-four miles from my home town, so you can guess where we landed at, we passed through Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, [Worters?] Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Middlesex, and Hampshire, where our camp is we are camped about 75 miles from shorncliff so our hope of having a good time all to-gether with George has been nipped in the bud, but still we dont know just where we might get sent to [get? somewhat unclear] or what they will do with us, they took nearly all our battalion away from us the day after we got here, which was a shame, after being to-gether so long, the Officers were crying on the parade ground, at having to part with the men, not just one or two of them, but all of them from the Colonel down to the last Officer we got in the battalion, also the sargeants were crying at not being allowed to go with the men, they have kept all the Officers back except four, and nearly all the sargeants, to train up another battalion, they would not let any of the band go in the ranks, so that we could go with the men, they are keeping us with headquarters, I don't know what we shall have to do yet, they sent our men, to the 75th battalion, theirs having gone to the front, so you see their battalion had to go same as our's, so I guess we shall get somebody's else's battalion, but they wont be as good as our's, I dont care how good they are, everything is very dear here dearer in fact, than I thought they would be even the candies that I like so well I cannot get them here, I got a dinner here at the Salvation Army Hut and they charged me a shilling for it, and it was just two eggs, and ham, (bread & butter two slices small) and tea fried fish and chips are 4d a plate here, but I think they are soaking it a bit to the soldiers, because they know we cant go any place else to get it, it will cost me over a pound to go up to Lancashire whenever I get a pass that is for railway fare, because they do not give us free fare, and they have not paid us our last month's pay yet I don't know wether I will have enough money to take me to Middlesbrough or not but I will try hard, on our way down here I saw some of the prettyst scenery I ever saw, we passed through [Creux?] stafford Dudley, Birmingham. Warwick. Oxford. Reading.Woking.(which is part of London) and Aldershot. We went through the country lanes for a walk to-day and it was simply lovely, I wish you could have seen it, house's with pretty garden flowers of all kinds, some I have never seen since I left England before, it was great it is a holiday here to-day for all Canadian it being 1st of july, Dominion day, we had another medical inspection here yesterday and several were turned down two army fellows from [Brantford?], and one or two from the band, when he passed me he said to the others, this man is very good, (some compliment eh!) but he did not Examine my eyes, well I guess I will close my letter now else I wont be able to get it all in the Envelope, so ta-ta Darling from your Loving Husband Herbert

p.s. give my love to all and my best Love keep for yourself H.C.
kiss the Children for me please.

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divide these
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xx for yourself x

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for Mary
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for baby

p.s. I am going to number all my letters 1 2 3 an so on so you would kow if any get lost, by the number I will write again soon.

H.C. No.I