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  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
Date: March 9th 1917
To
Sister
From
Worth Davis
Letter

[annotation at top of page: “Answered”]

Seaford
9/3/17. 1 A.M.

My Dear Sister,

Well I had a most happy couple of hours to-day. The other day, one of our boys (who knew him in London) said I saw McGuire in the lines the other day and he was asking for you and will be over to see you. I could not see how Rodney could be down here, and as he did not show up, I thought it must be a mistake.

This afternoon I could not sleep very well so got up at 4 and as there was nothing to do, thought I would wander over to the camp. It is the deuce of a job to find anyone in a big camp, but I finally found the orderly room and enquired for McGuire of the 168. They said yes, in G. Co. so finally I located G. Co. and went into a hut and asked for McGuire. Someone said there’s Worth Davis and I did not see anyone I knew so went over to a group and after a good hard look, discovered Jim McKinnon. He is fat as a pig and I hardly knew him.

They told me where Rod was and I went down to find him and Ault Darrow, getting ready to come over to see me. Also saw Blackey Crossett, Allmost, Dewey, Nixon the little bugler who married Miss Crossett, and I don’t know who else. I stayed for nearly two hours and then Wilf. and Ault came over with me and stayed till about 9 P.M. Wilf. stayed behind to post a letter and when he came in, came thro the kitchen, Archie Oliver saw him and followed him up as he thought he knew him, so the four of us had quite a visit.

From what the boys say, Vass and Bob Wetson are likely in Canada now. I don’t understand this at all. Also Pete Wilson, they think is in very bad shape. I would not tho mention this to a soul, as I am not sure of it. Only about thirty of the Tillsonburg boys are left here and I expect they will soon go too. They are all fine and apparently happy altho half staved they say. Archie and I fed Ault and Rod up well to night tho. Believe me, it sure was a treat to see the boys. Phone Mrs. Darrow and Mrs McGuire and tell them. I saw a letter from Frank D. He is well but hard at it. Money is here a private in the ranks, but Jackson still has his stripes, I did not see either of them. I believe Frank had to take his stripes down, but they were returned to him after the first time in. I am afraid very few of these boys will see Canada again. I will see them all I can while here, as it is only three to five minutes walk to their hut.

If our passes are not turned down Cpl. Andrews and I will spend the afternoon and evening with a couple of our lady friends in Eastbourne to-day (Friday). I phoned up to-night to make the date and they put the wrong girl on and I had nearly made the date with her, before I found out the mistake.

Say I ordered some buttons and badges from W. Scully, Montreal to be charged to Dad, direct or thro Levy or Goldsmith. Please pay for them. Also buy any quantity up to one hundred of that 2 + 1¢ red postage stamp like the brown one you are now using and grab up all the used ones you can find and save them for me. The ones you buy unused of course and from our own or any other post office.

It was so cold last night that I could not write, the wind was terrible and of course some windows must be open. I had a bath robe and great coat on and a doubled blanket around my feet and just sat in the chair all night. Slept for a couple of hours too. Glad my big post card got thro all right, I sent Floss one and they said at the Post Office that the censor would not pass it, but she got it all right. I have not had any Canadian mail whatever this week, altho it should come Wed and Thurs.

You must admit, that whoever picks the girls for the Royal Bank has pretty good taste, Fern Denton should be in soon. She should have taken June’s place. If the war is on after you are thro school, you should get into a bank or the store till the war is over, or else you and Berniece go out and run the farms The girls here do it.

That idea of knitting for the boys is a good one and I think you should send each of the boys who enlisted right from the school, a parcel once a month. They sure deserve and appreciate it. You people at home have not the faintest idea, what these boys have to go thro. Happy was bringing a working party out of a muddy trench the other night, and as the mud was over his boot tops he put on a pair of rubber boots. They were too big for him and he had to pick them up at every step and finally fell flat on his back in the mud, trying to get them out. In desperation, he put his boots back on and ploughed thro it. Believe me they have to put up with something.

Why sure Mac and I sent Ida Perry a Christmas card and I have had a couple of letters from her also Edith [?] and a dozen others. I surely answer them all, as I like getting them so well.

That is certainly too bad about Miss McCrae. It will likely be very slow healing too.

You don’t long for the good old Summer time any more than I do. I will sure be glad to see it, and hope it gets a good start before we have to go to France. There will be a good deal of satisfaction in being right on the job over there too, and then it would have been rotten to go back without ever leaving England. Again those who have been to France will more than likely get home first while those in England will be here for a year or two after peace is signed.

I am enclosing a piece of poetry written by a patient. I also have for you, a song he wrote but will wait till I get a good chance to send it.

Well I must write Floss.

Lovingly,
Worth.

 

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