c/o Union Bank of Canada
Adress. 6 [?] St
London E.C.

The Field
Oct. 4th 1917

Dear Mr Irwin:

I certainly must apologize for not answering your letter of some time in July but I have been rather busy “doing things” since then.

Received a bundle of papers from home including the Norwood Register and have just been reading them.

I have been much interested in the trip of your scouts to [?] Lake and I feel that the boys have much to thank you for. I find that the boys who have had Military Discipline to any degree in their youth, make the best soldiers over here. With “Strict instantaneous obedience to commands of a superior officer” as a Scouts Motto he can not go far astray.

I also was well interested in the same issue of the Register which publishes the excellent puzzle (offered by Miss Blanche Pearce for Scout Agriculturalist. It is indeed an example of Norwood Public interest in any Progressive movement.

I have at present lost touch with Karl but I imagine he is with the [?] Division in England – Am I right? I hope he is keeping well and will be spared to return to you in health and in strength.

I have meet several of the Norwood boys lately. [?] Henderson, Wilbert King, Cecil Watson, Russel Scriver, Jonas Cross, Jack Parker, David [?], and a few others.

I was indeed sorry about Arthur Searight and my sympathy goes out to his parents in their great [?]. Art was a good boy and did his duty well.

I also see that Norwood Public School has lost Mr Trenouth - I am sure they fully appreciate that loss.

I am writing this by the light of a candle in a Bosche Dugout that we recently took from him quite recently. He objected but we persisted.

We indeed must give credit to the Germans for excellent dugouts, unfortunately for him, fortunately for us - as it breaks the moral of his troops. When we “go over” the first thing they think of is their “bomb proof” dugouts and then they are lost.

The one I am in now is fixed up like a castle but I am sorry to say is rather too much alive with vermin to suit me but the best thing is not to worry about it.

I also notice ‘that Norwood has lost another public servant of great zeal in the retirement of Mr. Calder. I am sure that the town wishes him every joy in his retired life.

Well I must close.

Give my regards to Mrs Irwin and family
Very sincerely
WC Thomson

[postscript] Sucess to the Norwood Boy Scouts. WCT