Chatam House Hospital

Ramsgate

16.8.17

My Dear Ones at Home, -

How often I wish that you were with me to enjoy the beauties of this wonderful old country. Tonight I would give any thing to have father sitting out here with me, enjoying the summer evening. It is just about seven o'clock, and I am sitting writing in a big easy chair on a grand old English lawn. Behind me is the old Chatam House school, where we are quartered, a great rambling old red brick building covered with ivy. In front, thro' the giant oaks and chestnuts I can see the water calm & blue. Above the trees, in the tower of the college chaple, [sic] the grey of the stonework showing only here and there thro' the ivy, and I can hear faintly the strains of the old organ.

Over to the left on the beautiful lawn are the tennis courts and cricket grounds. I have just come in from a game of tennis, and I found that I could play quite well with my stiff arm. I'm afraid that it will not be long until I can handle a rifle again.

This morning I was given a thorough examination, and the doctor told me that massage and electrical treatment would soon have my arm as good as ever. I judge that it will take about three or four weeks treatment. This is a special hospital for such cases and they have every conceivable kind of machines and electrical apparatus for [deleted word 'such'] treatment

There are hundreds of chaps here with arms or legs off. All such casualties come here for final treatment before being sent back to Canada. Yesterday I moved from the Granville Hotel over here to the “Chatam Annex”, but I go over to Granville for treatment every afternoon. We have comfortable iron cots, with mattresses and white sheets, in the “dormitories”. The meals are good too, and we have a very pleasant and easy time. I feel fine, and weigh 150 lbs. I have never had a single headache nor attack of indigestion since I landed in England.

Tonight I received fathers letter of July 25th, and was glad to know that you received the parcel O.K. and that everything was “just what you wanted”. I am sending Dorothy two or three of our songs, and the Vimy Ridge number of the “Pictorial”. The pictures are very good in it and quite natural and realistic. I hope that you got the pictures of auld Scotia too. I sent two different lots of them

I got another letter from Aunt Jessie tonight, and also one from Aunt Edith. She said that she had written offering you their cottage at the lake. I should have thought that would have been a nice holiday for you, and quite inexpensive too.

I often wonder what will be best for me to do when I get home. I think now that my trip over here will have to answer for a college course. I will get a first class teaching certificate and a good course in pedagogy. I think that my natural ability, and certainly my inclination is for teaching, and with a 1st class certificate I should be able to get the principalship of a good town school, and perhaps eventually an inspectorate

Now it is getting too dark to write more tonight, so I will close and gone [sic] down to the shore for a walk

Lovingly your boy

 Markle