Letter to Mother from Bramshot Camp
Bramshot Camp
Hants
13-12-16
Dear Mother:–
I received two letters to day one from you and one from Eula Hurd. The name of that family is Mr and Mrs W. Gower Milford Surrey Eng. There one son is discharged physicelly unfit and five are still alive I told you about the one in one of my last letters that you will have received before now. I have not received the second box of candy but it may come all right yet. The boxes are coming thick to the boys for Xmas Myrtles box was fine Bob McKeith and Mitchel and I ate it all but one cookie I have to eat yet. I had the last piece of fruit cake [“last night” crossed out] to day after dinner I guess I get mixed some times
we can’t hardly believe that we have been on C. B. for nine days we have put in such a good time an other draft has left today the 4th I guess they will call up an other this week. we are still fooling around out on the trench. I want to do enough between meals to get lots of exercise but I don’t care when the ditch is completed at all, it is to get exercise that I am out there and not to dig the ditch, but the S. M. thinks that it is or should be the other way about. I had the gloves on about a half dozen times last night so I am staying physically fit until we get out.
Our platoon is all shot now I guess that 75% of the boys have gone to the Front now and I am in 15 platoon instead of our old platoon. All of the officers have lost interest in the boys because there old bunch are gone and new men have brot in so they don’t care any what happens. One came along to where I was working yesterday he told me how he felt he says he has not enjoyed soldiering since the first week here for he has never been with his platoon since
The M.G. bunch that left here are taking a heavy machine g. coarse somewhere in England Mitchel and I may be put on the Lewis g. again in France and may not I don’t care I am going cheerfully where ever they send me. some Batt that have not been here six week yet are being drafted just like use, so you see I have been lucky all around. in the M.G. I had a very good bayonet coarse that hundreds of these boys haven’t had a day at in Eng. and the Canadian coarse is as far behind the new coarse as night is behind day. There ant a man left to go that has had as much bayonet work as I have and I will be going in the last draft of the old original 128th when ever it goes.
Miss Hurd subscribed for the Christian Guardian for me for a christmas box. I think it was a thotfull deed but I am getting into deep water I am afraid and I have to get out soon for I am going to live with a clear conscience so I can died if I have to the same way with no regrets to make of the last short period of life. I had no business going with her but she is such a good chum and is a very intelligent thotfull kind hearted girl but I am afraid of ever thinking of making her my wife, and any way I can’t think of it when she is engaged to Wilfred Crow, The way things are now, I would be ashamed to meet Wilfred the way I have used him when he is away it an’t giving him a fighting chance, which any boy should have Just think of it like as tho I was in Wilfreds place and it would look different that is how it hit me any way.
Just after supper again I wrote this far at noon. We had a good supper bread and margarine and bread there was lots of Mulligan and bread puddle with a reasonable amount of big plump raisins in it. Bob Mc and Mitchel and I are getting better pals all the time Mitchel and I sleep together and Bob puts his bed against our so we all sleep in the same line and you might say the same bed, but Bob makes his bed separate. Bob Banks is away on six days sick leave he has the broaken wrist you know he went up to Edinborough Scotland
we fooled around at the trench again this P.M. another hut was quarantines to day so they will likely work half of the time. They say that we have one blanket a piece and sleep fifteen in each tent it wont hurt use I will stand it all right I think don’t worry any way I will tell you just what we have when we get there.
I haven’t heard from Miss Morrison since the letter I sent home but I think the letter with the picture in it may have been burned. I wrote another a few days ago or so I don’t remember how long it was, but I am looking forward to the answere but I guess it will do me more good to get it after I have spent a while in France. If you write Mrs Gower ever will you send her the plainest snap of me that you have she asked about a picture of me but I wanted to give you all I had of the good ones and I did not have a good snap.
8-10 A.M.
14-12-16
Well Mother dear I have to get this letter started this A.M. but wish it was longer. I guess I neglected writing when I had time and now I am up against it for time to write more. I wrote to Eula last night and fixed up things so I can starte out on this new year with a clear conceince and look the whole world in the face. There is only one thing the public might critize that is the swing of Alf and Boskout and I feel that I used them the way I want to be used when I use any one the way they used me, I feel right before God about it have read the passages in the bible that I think tutch on this and can not feel but they have been used right. Alf could had lots of time if he had not lied but that would be enough to condem any man, I think, I have been afraid that it would give Ted the wrong idea of the use of the law but just take the part of the Lords prayer forgive me my debts as I forgive my debtors, well I owe money but I am trying to keep my word about paying. I have been guilty of not doing what was right but I was not at the time these bills were run and I an’t now. [Ends here.]