Dear Father, Mother, Lela, Victor:
This letter is goodbye to all. Forty-two of us go from St. John as soon as the troop can be loaded. There are 42 from our battery, the Ammunition Column and, I think, the 26 Regiment. I was the first driver on the list. I don't know how long we will be in St. John. Probably not more than a day or two, so you had better not write till you hear from me again. We are bound for England. I will have any mail on the way for me returned home or possibly they may forward it on for me. I don't know just now but it doesn't matter. I will get it in the end. I am sending the grip home with some things I don't need, also the watch. I planned to start for home tonight but these orders came very suddenly and I did not know I was going till 11:30 today; nor anyone else for that matter.
Now I am glad that I qualified for 1st place as driving, still I don't like the idea of going from you all but we will hope I come back safe and sound. Of course, we need a lot of training yet and the war may be over before we are ready. Now I have a lot of packing to do so this must do till next time. You never saw a happier bunch of men than those who are going in your life. Now I am not very demonstrative, but you have my best love - all of you. So goodbye till you hear from me next.
Clarence
© 2010 Pamela Wile. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.
Showing posts with label watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watch. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
April 24, 1915 - Fredericton
Dear Father,
I am writing Saturday noon instead of Sunday. We have this afternoon off. I won't write to Mr. McLean. Too many might ball it all up, so I will leave it to you. I borrowed a martingale from Jenkins. It was one with black rings and a buckle underneath by the belly band, but I got none with the harness. Esty Cochrane gave me the other one. That horse you have now is a tough little plug and should be easy to keep doing nothing.
The talk here is that we go to Sussex about the first of this month. We will be 20 miles handier home then. I was to the military doctor and got some medicine for my cold on Tuesday. I hate to take it, but I can't do anything else like I could home. Our drill hours are from: rise 5:45, parade 6:30 till 7:30, breakfast; parade 9:00 till 12; dinner, parade 2:00 till 5:00. Must be in at ten unless we have a pass. I can [have] one any day but have had only one since coming here. I was late three weeks ago Sunday night and got one week without pass, although I could go out till ten. I can get a pass till anytime I want it up to 6:30 parade a.m. all night, but don't need it here.
That McGinnis or Fitzgerald that stole the clothes up the Midland and joined up in Windsor is always in trouble with the officers here. Awfully pig-headed and there are others. A fellow has to be very careful here. Liable to catch all kinds of things among a crowd like this, and around the latrines. Mostly toughs although there are some nice fellows and some who don't care whether they are clean or dirty. We send our underwear to the laundry every Monday a.m. and it costs about 80 cents per month. Towels, shirts, drawers, socks, handkerchiefs.
I received watch Friday noon and your card this noon.
From Clarence
© 2010 Pamela Wile. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.
I am writing Saturday noon instead of Sunday. We have this afternoon off. I won't write to Mr. McLean. Too many might ball it all up, so I will leave it to you. I borrowed a martingale from Jenkins. It was one with black rings and a buckle underneath by the belly band, but I got none with the harness. Esty Cochrane gave me the other one. That horse you have now is a tough little plug and should be easy to keep doing nothing.
The talk here is that we go to Sussex about the first of this month. We will be 20 miles handier home then. I was to the military doctor and got some medicine for my cold on Tuesday. I hate to take it, but I can't do anything else like I could home. Our drill hours are from: rise 5:45, parade 6:30 till 7:30, breakfast; parade 9:00 till 12; dinner, parade 2:00 till 5:00. Must be in at ten unless we have a pass. I can [have] one any day but have had only one since coming here. I was late three weeks ago Sunday night and got one week without pass, although I could go out till ten. I can get a pass till anytime I want it up to 6:30 parade a.m. all night, but don't need it here.
That McGinnis or Fitzgerald that stole the clothes up the Midland and joined up in Windsor is always in trouble with the officers here. Awfully pig-headed and there are others. A fellow has to be very careful here. Liable to catch all kinds of things among a crowd like this, and around the latrines. Mostly toughs although there are some nice fellows and some who don't care whether they are clean or dirty. We send our underwear to the laundry every Monday a.m. and it costs about 80 cents per month. Towels, shirts, drawers, socks, handkerchiefs.
I received watch Friday noon and your card this noon.
From Clarence
© 2010 Pamela Wile. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.
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