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Date: May 5th 1916
To
Catherine
From
George Leslie
Letter

Toronto Exhibition Friday May 5 P.S. Tell "Maggie" I'm much obliged for all the trouble she has tooken it upon herself to have her picture tooken for me. But I ain't got no picture yet. Dear Cath: Of all the luck! Would you believe it, the M.O. actually gave me permission yesterday A.M. to report for regular duty so I got back in the ranks again for the 1st time since a week ago Wednesday. We went for a 4 or 5 mile march in the afternoon and after tea Lawrence & I thought we would go for a walk, it was such a lovely evening. So we walked all the way up town (over 2 miles) and back. But here's where my luck comes in. I had to go to the doc. This morning and at time of writing am wearing the old, beloved "light duty" suit. And the worst of it is the whole battalion are holding a field day out in the neighbourhood of Lambton Mills 8 or 10 miles away. B & D Coy's assisted by the machine gunners and signallers are to hold a position somewhere out there in the woods against A & C Coy's who are supposed to be the enemy. I was out on one field day about 3 weeks ago and it is certainly interesting although on that occasion there was only one company engaged & the enemy was only imaginary. But with the whole force engaged & two real attacking forces of between 500 & 600 men each with blank ammunition &c it will just be great. The country out there is very hilly and wooded & is an ideal spot for a skirmish. I don't think I told you before but the later battalions are being given much more "open warfare" training than those of the earlier contingents, while the trench fighting although taken up also, is given a minor place. Our officers have told us this is being done because it is expected the Germans will be on the run by the time we get over there and open fighting will be the order of the day. Three battalions the 95th, 97th (American Legion) & 92nd Highlanders are on their final leave now and go away next week. The 92nd called for 100 volunteers from the 134th to fill up their battalion before they left but I don't think they got many. I would have liked to have gone with them much I couldn't get any one that I knew to go along and of course I didn't want to go alone when I don't know a single man in the 92nd. It seems that the 92nd haven't a very good organization and it is reported that their training is not as good as it should be. They have been longest in getting away than any other battalion here. Oh, yes, we went to the party last week but I didn't have just as good a time as I thought I would. I don't think Lawrence did either. The bunch comprised Ruth & Gladys, Harold, Fred & George Parney, Fran, Marie Graham & a couple of Toronto girls. I never did feel at home with that crowd any way so perhaps that accounts for it. I know they tried to give us a good time all right. Say, what do you think? Mr. Asbury gave Lawrence a geometry deduction when he was home & asked him to work it and send him the solution. Well Lawrence worked away at it for a week and thinks he has it now but do you know I can't do it for to save my life. It's such a simple thing too, taken from book I & was on an exam. Asb gave F.II. But I'll get it yet. That just shows though how much good it does me to learn all that "truck" (including Latin & Am. Hist) But I guess I'd better quit or there won't be enough paper left for next time. Am going to ask for 3 days leave to go home, on the 24th. Don't know I'll make out though. Les.