Lower Dibgate Camp
Shorncliffe Eng
Sat. Nov 25/16

Mrs H Johns
Elimville Ont
Canada

Dear Mother :- Well Mother we have got back from our pass we sure had a good time travelling around from place to place It was the cheeriest pass that I have had for some time we got our tickets for nothing and most of our board. They gave us a good time at Tom Jacksons all we could eat I think it was 5 meals a day and as the days are short we were eating most of the time. Mrs Tom's sister ( a married woman) came there the last day we were there she was a tartar something like May Martin was. They laughed at the way I talked and so I did the same with them. If we said anything extra funny they would say ( Oh you are devils) We did our best to shock them. But they were six to our half -dozen. The last day we all went to Ulverston it was market day. Jackson and I went with the women shopping and carried the parcels all forenoon. In the afternoon we went to the market and watched them sell sheep and cattle They don't take as long to sell a thing as they do in Canada. The butchers are the only ones that buy so they know about what a thing is worth therefore It don't take so long. Things sell very dear Cattle sell from 924 lb to 11-124 live weight. There was about 1400 sheep and 120 cattle sold that afternoon All three of us took the 9.15 train to London that night(Thursday) and landed at 5 A.M. Friday at Euston Station we went to the Y.M.C.A. Hut and slept on the floor untill 7.30 A.M. After eating a little breakfast we took the underground railroad to Victoria station after we landed we found out that it was Charing Cross station that we had to go from Well that did not scare us and we just went out and hired a taxi he drove us to Charing Cross but we had missed the train there was another in two hours. We were standing around wondering what to do when the idea struck us that we might see a little of London so we hired another car and rode through the city like Lords he took us all over the city I don't suppose we saw much of it he kept going for an hour it only cost me a dollar for the three as there was still another hour Kellet suggested another ride so he hired another car it took us through Hyde Park we saw the Rotten Row where the high class people take their exercise. We saw Buckingham Palace and just missed seeing the King so the driver said. We also saw Queen Victoria's Statue it is a grand affair. He then drove us back to the Station again that was three times we drove in the yard in cars they would think we were either fools or Canadians they have lots of money you know. Well we caught the train alright. When we struck camp we also struck some news (bad or otherwise) We heard that a draft of 100 men were to leave for France on Sunday there was some tall hustling I can tell you to see who was to go Jackson nor I go on this one Kellet does But we go on the next one Wednesday I think we are to be in the 58 Batt to reinforce it They are French Canadians I think of course It does not mean that we will go into the fighting line any sooner than if we stayed in England only the difference is the 58th Base is in France while some of the others is in England. Well I hope you will not worry any more than you can help as the most of the Exeter boys are in it so we will be at home anywhere I hope you are all well the same as I am. My address will be Pte Earl Johns
From Earl.

no 654744. 161 Batt
c/o Army Post Office London Eng