Royal Military College,
Kingston,
Ontario
October 11th 1916
Dear Dad:-
We arrived safe and sound though half- frozen at 1.30 A.M. Tuesday morning and had a cold night's rest.
This morning the Com. shot the bull to us about commissions and got a list of what we wanted. Nearly everybody said R.F.A. but I said C.F.A. or R.F.A. Norm Bethune is taking C.F.A. and expects to get into it through "Col. Sam." I enclose a sheet that the king told the guys at Sandhurst and also my commissions form. You will notice that we have to put down 3 choices so if we miss the first two we get the other. A 2nd choice is absolutely necessary although he told us that if we were recommended for a commission we would surely get it. Still for safety's sake we have to put one down. I am putting R.F.A. 1st choice; C.F.A. 2nd choice; R.C.A. 3rd choice. (Permanent force.) That is the 2nd column from the left with the top one 1st bottom 2nd & middle 3rd . I think that is the best way and the only thing I can do. However if you have any objection why tell me only sign the form anyway. I'll write it in in pencil and can always rub it out when you have seen it. That leaves an opening if anything turns up to take C.F.A. as it is my second choice. However, the more I hear of R.F.A. now the better I like it.
He showed us a revolver he had, a Smith and Wesson. It was a peach of a little gun but the handle seemed too small for me and not well balanced. He told us on no account to get an automatic but Humph Gilbert's uncle who is at the front wrote and told him to be sure and get an automatic instead. The revolver costs $14.50 through the college duty fee and $19 outside. I don't know how much the automatic costs. I am going to order the haversack of the web equipment but not the belt etc. which is not used in R.F.A. the whole thing costs $4.50 so I guess the haversack will only cost about a dollar I guess. However that is put on our college account so I don't need cash for it.
Our course will be over by the 15th of December and the Com. is going to push our recommendations along to get us gazetted by the 20th Dec. then we'll sail about a month earlier I guess.
Well I guess that's all so if you'll sign it and mail it back all will be O.K. Love to all and tell Ella the drop cookies will just last till the 14th.
HB. Thorburn
