Letter to Teddy from Bramshot Camp, Hants
Bramshot Camp
Hants
7-12-16
Dear Teddy:–
I received your letter the other day, was glad to see that you have got started threshing flax and here how good it turned out, but it all wont go so good as that south field I don’t think. I wish I had Delbert and Allen here to talk to and fool with some times, it would be great.
You want to be careful of Ronald for a man would only want the one kick to fix him if it was in the right place. The mail came in I got three more letters one from Mother Alice and Kathleen also Kathleens card. it is 12.20 and dinner has not come in yet. we put one over on Sergeant major instead of digging in the ditch we lined up two deep inside hut and out we went and made our get away, and did not show up till about 11.30 we are going to try to do the same this P.M. the digging is not hard but it is great to march from 3 to 8 miles up these lanes at our own time, but of coarse in our fours and line in order one corporal with use. we stoped 3 times this a.m. for about 15 minuits I have to go to dinner in the hut tho. we have our meals brot in each time and the orderly buys any thing for use that we need. You school see some of the lanes one I was thinking about as I marched this a.m. there was 7 or 8 feet of bank that was covered with a mat of grass as green as our grass in June the grass was hanging down instead of the heads standing up like our grass then on top a hedge of some kind of evergreen back of that and over it the big evergreen trees. I don’t know how much these roads cost to the mile but some one must have paid the bill or labor was at the premium. Say I laughed when I read Kathleens letter she puts things just as she would talk it is great to get them
We have a nicer view here than the old camp, but the wash stands are not so modern the first camp we were at was ideal and up to date. but I would sooner be here, I have met such good men here. Be careful to keep rack of all your money made so you will know that you give Gods work a tenth any way remember Gods promises and you can’t help but prosper. stay with the studying of the bible you and Alice will have a great chance to get spieitual wisdom from study this winter Now is the time when you are young, you should have peeped in here last night and seen a bunch of use in a circle around the stove about 8 of use, we had two bibles and an other man named Coleman but an awful bad man read one of the psalms but he would skip all the good verses, then I read the 1st chapter of James to them and explained every verse that I could, and it seemed as tho God made the men ask me the questions I could answer it surely was fine, then when we finished two boys came and talked to me, one told me about being converted and then how the prayers from home he knew kept him on the right path while out in Canada hes home is in London his Father Mother and sweetheart were here to say goodbye to him on Monday. The other boy told me that he believed in the bible and he dident get a chance to tell me much about it but he wanted to. Now if it is Gods will and he can make clear the way, I will try to get these boys on the right way again. There was a card game on, on each side of me but I have sat by the side of a man at the table and studied my bible when he was playing poker, I can feel that God is always with me know matter what is on around me. Read Romans 8, and mark the 38 39 verses 28th verse there is some great verses here I think they embody a great promise.
We worked our getaway again this P.M. but S.M. just came and warned use for digging tomorrow at 9 a.m. I got the Digest today at noon that Mother sent me, I will look thru it tonight, we surely have lots of sleep we go to bed about 9.45 lights go out at 10.15 Revallie goes at 6.30 and we sleep until 7 any way then we wash and have supper [correction] breakfast would look better there. I am sending all my polish home and every thing that I don’t want to take to the front. we will go around Xmas time. When I came in pulled off my puttees and shoes and put on fatigue shoes so I am ready to box any old the boys want a round, There is some of the dandiest pines around here in big patches we should have ten acres of them out on the Bees Nest well Teddy I will have to quit for this time as ever your loving brother and old pal Laurie
Each night as I roll in beside Mitchell I think of you and our snug little bed out west but never mind kid if God is willing we will be back together with Mother again.
bye bye Laurie
Remember that 28th verse
It has warmer up again and thawed out. we were out with out sweaters on again today.
The way things look the war is going to stay hot this winter, but it must be hard on our enemies as well as use, It will end as soon as it started one of these times.
I don’t think there is any surplus of Canadian officers over here like they report at home. I haven’t see them yet any way, the Imperial Army officers we have seen wouldent make good Inf. men for C.E.F. and they don’t keep clean like te,he, our men, but I guess they study and learn to fight. I know some English men have given our officers awfull slams about not training here like the private, I heard one man remark that the 128th officers were going to fight with there walking sticks at the front instead of the bayonet.
L.