Connaught Barracks
Nanaimo B.C.
Feb. 3, 1916

Dear Dad.

Isnt this weather a terror. I never saw anything like the snow fall here. Last night it easily snowed twelve inches. I hear that the wretched quail and pheasants are starving to death in dozens. The government sent some tons of grain up along the coast for the starving deer. It certainly seems as if all the elements were at war to the finish. I guess the cold weather catches your nasal organ quite often these days. It is a wonder more poor beggars arent frozen. It must be fierce on a ranch such as “Hosts” where the breeze flows over the ice.

I suppose there is a coal famine in Kamloops owing to the heavy snow blockade on the C.P.R. I know the daily train was delayed here today on account of snow blockade.

Is Miss Stuart married yet or was it all heresay.?

We keep hearing rumors of moving to the old country with the 62nd. I dont think we shall move however until some of the trained troops are moved over to France. Just fancy, in one of Frank’s letters he stated that there were one hundred and fifty thousand Canadian troops within a nine mile radius of Bramshot.

For the past month we have been taking up machine gun work. They hold lectures and practices in which we are taught to set up and fire the gun – a very simple proceeding anyone could learn to do in half an hour. We also go in to minor details ex.- composition of bullets, different sorts of fire, sighting ect. It is rather interesting but a lot of minor details are not necessary for our share in the work.

Well old man I will close with love –

Your loving son
Sid. W.