Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
  • 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: October 13th 1918
To
Mother
From
Charles Willoughby
Letter

Oct 13/1918

My Dear Mother:

A week seems no time in passing when a person is really busy. And I have certanily been busy for the last few days. both medically and socially.

It is rather surprising, I know, to hear that I have been busy socially but for some reason or other a good many of my friends seem to have happened to come to this part of France too.

About the same day as I wrote my last letter home I took a ride down to #2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. While there I met several officers I knew and one I had gone through school with That meant I had to stay for tea and dinner. Finally I broke away about 1000 P.M.

While there I heard that Pat Kell had just blown into this section of the world and was stationed at a hospital nearby. So next morning I combined pleasure with business and while driving to a camp to hold sick parade I looked into the hospital only to find that they had moved to another place. However I wasnt going to miss seeing Pat so I drove over to his new place and found it is really only about two miles away from where I am.

He was certainly surprised to see me & he had just heard from some person that I was about 100 miles away from here. So I landed him back home with me where we spent the evening together. - He is certainly looking quite well and seems to have landed a good job over here.

The same night as Pat was here for dinner I also invited a Canadian Major, who is stationed across the road from me, to come along too. He was a most interesting chap as he had been raised in the Canadian North West Mounted Police and kept us well entertained with stories of his travels around the Artic Circle.

Next morning I was out with the car again doing sick parade and while passing through a town a few miles from here I found Colonel Price from #5 Indian Grove. He is the Area Commandant in this town. I hadnt seen him for over four years. He seems to have quite a good job too. I hope to be able to call back and have dinner with him some night soon.

Each morning lately I have been travelling all over the countryside holding sick parades and on two occasions I happened to be passing #2 Canadian C.C.S. about noon so there I stuck until the eating was over. Yesterday, while there, I had the dentist look at some of my teeth to save them from falling out and came away with a lump of metal in three of them. I can now go on leave feeling my teeth wont be likely to part with me during the two weeks.

Yesterday the box of Laura Secords and the Maple Sugar arrived. That parcel was certainly long enough coming but it came and that is the main idea. The contens were all in good condition and very much appreciated.

Two month tomorrow and my contract will be up. This year has certainly gone fast but Dec 14th can't arrive too quickly. Two weeks leave coming along any minute now should make a big hole in it.

The war certainly looks to be pretty well finished just now. German prisoners seem to be very much of the same opinion so it may be that the war will be over before Christmas yet. Everyone over here is most anxious to see the thing finished properly but I dont think there will be many tears shed if the whole thing is wound up within the next couple of months.

I expect to go up forward for a turn at the "wacking wounded post" tonight. It is a long way back so there is nothing to worry about. Then my leave should come in any minute and by the time that is over. The fighting season will have pretty well finished.

The postman should be waking up with some more Canadian and American mail. There has not been a delivery so far today so some may be along this afternoon I will leave this open in the meantime.

Lovingly

Charlie