146. Pte Tom Garton
No 2 Company 12 Reserve Batt.
Canadian Contingent
St Martins plains
Shorncliff Kent
England.
My Dearest Maudie.
Just a line to let you know that I have arrived safley in England after nine days on the boat we have had a good trip the ocean was as calm as could be all the way and I was not a bit sick untill I got on the train Sunday morning but I am feeling alright again. we landed at Devonport about 3 P.M. Sat and had to stay on the boat untill about 10 A.M. Sunday then we got in the train and were in it all day we got to Shornecliff at 8.30 P.M. so you can imagine how tired I was but we only had about 15 minutes walk to camp so I got there alright. This sure is some country I never thought it was so pretty but I wouldn’t like to live from what I can see. we are about three miles from where the 18th are so we will likely see them before long I wish we had been stationed with them but I can’t get my own way always but we will be at the front before they are they say we will be there in three weeks but there is no telling. There are 45000 soldiers camped here and there are a lot of wounded men back from the front but if I get cut up like some of them I hope they finish me for I wouldn’t want to be a cripple the rest of my life. last night after every thing was quiet around the camp we could hear the big guns firing in France we are only about fifty miles from the firing line well I am not going to write a long letter but will write again likely before you write back but I’ll not wait for you to write I will write as often as I can. remember me to all, let Annie know for I can’t write to every body so you can tell her the news.
now don’t be worrying about me Darling for I will be alright.
I am as ever your loving Boy
Tom.
P.S. (what do you think of this for an address do you think you can remember it) I will write it here again
No 146 Pte Tom Garton
No 2 Company 12 Reserve Battn.
Canadian Contingent
St Martins plain
Shornecliff Kent
England.
[Editor’s note: The date from the envelope’s postmark has been used as the letter date.]
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