Thursday, Sept 19/18

Dear mother, father and Sis:-

I suppose you have been waiting a number of days to receive my first letter from here. Yes I have succeeded in getting over at last and am now elevated from the ranks of a gunner to that of a full-fledged cadet.

Last Friday I got an hours notice to leave my wireless station and get back to where I was to receive my travelling warrant. You can imagine the hurriedness of my departure. It is a long way from where the line is now to the city of Arras and that was not my destination. After spending a few hours jumping on and off lorries, getting a new outfit from the quartermaster etc. I got to "bed" about midnight to be awakened at 5 am. Then for the "speedy" box-car voyage - as a maximum about one mile per hour. Late that night we pulled into Boulogne and harboured there. The next afternoon we crossed the Channel and under similar circumstances as the last time - that is it was terribly rough and of course great was the suffering thereof. However we finally reached Folkestone & thence London where we stayed at a YMCA for the night. We did not have to report until Monday at Headquarters and from there we went to Witley Camp. Tuesday was a perfect ordeal - interviewing everybody from a bombardier to a brigadier-general. Then we were shipped away that night for our fourteen days.

I cabled you last Sunday and I received the money a couple of hours ago at the bank of Montreal. I suppose you think [?]50 is rather a lot. When we are gaze [?] we are allowed that much for our uniform. At present we can draw up to 20 of it - the less we draw, the more we will have then.

Our uniform at present is the same as an officer's only minus the Sam Browne shoulder strap. Four of us were fitted yesterday. I have no credit in my Pay-Book but managed to save nine pounds from my last leave which has helped considerably. I opened an account at the bank this a.m, leaving [?]35 in it. Until my course finishes I will be drawing the same pay as formerly ($1.10). With 20 dollars going to you that would only leave 13 a month. So if I stop that $20 you will know I am getting it. In all probability I will have to.

I wired Duke on arriving but just got a reply now as he was up to Birmingham. Last night I phoned the Cabello and I have to be there at 5 o'clock for dinner. My Pass is made out to "Edinburgh" but everything is indefinite as I have to be fitted as am to-morrow. I have just returned from having dinner with Stuart Philpott. He was gassed and is here now. While there, he met his sister who is on three months' furlough from Africa. She has been there two years and before that was a missionary in India. Another brother is wounded & in hospital here, the oldest Gord, and another one - 17 years old - are in France. Quite a record, isn't it?

I didn't think I would know anybody on the course but it is just like home. Alf Gilroy came a week before me - there are two others from 6th & 7th, Lino from the 6th Siege and a bunch of others whom I know. Five of us came for CGA - the four others were all McGill boys. I realize that the course is stiff, but I will like the work and there are all sorts of comforts, such as mess etc. It is a good time to get across and we will escape some terrible weather.

Everything is the same in London. We are having a good rest while waiting for our outfit. Last night Stu Philpott, myself and another boy from Toronto, who is on the course, went to a show together. I believe Alex is in one of the hospitals here and I will look him up. I was looking at a casualty list a couple days ago and saw a Leiut. Upton reported killed. My goodness, is that Bert? I had been trying to find out how he made out. I can scarcely believe it, he was so happy ….....[letter ends]