15/5/15

My Darling Alice,

How are you getting on now? Keeping well I hope. Did you get my photo yet or the bracelet? If not let me know at once. I am in Pat's office writing this letter. Yesterday we had a nice long march about twelve miles I guess. It was quite nice and not too hot. On Monday, there is a bunch of us going down to the ranges and then we will be ready for the next draft which I expect will be very soon now. Maybe by the time you get this letter we will have been warned for it. You know, they tell us a few days ahead. Then all the men who are going are confined to barracks until they go away. Dear Alice, I have just had some maple sugar that Archie Gordon had sent him this morning from Canada. It was fine, believe me. Pat and his girl here are friends again, but I think he has given up the idea of getting married now for good, by the way he talks. I think that he is doing a wise thing for it is just madness for a fellow to think of getting married now. Tomorrow is Sunday and if I am not on duty, I am going to take the camera to a place called Hythe and take a picture of some old ruins of a castle. If the picture turns out good I will send you some of them. I think you will like them. I had my picture taken this morning with a big live shell in each hand. I hope that turns out good. I am not going to close this letter until the afternoon mail comes in because I think I will get another letter from you. I hope so anyhow. I think I told you in my last letter that I had written to Lily Finlay and I asked her to come up to see you so I guess she will. Well dear Alice, I have got quite a good record here. I have not been up for office once since I have been in the army. I have not had any extra drills for anything so I am getting on fine, eh. And last but not least, I have kept all the promises I made to you. This is May now and I suppose you are looking forward to the wedding next month. I hope you all have a fine first class time darling. I guess we will be on the battle line then if we are not already dead. Will you send me the date next time you write so that I can remember the day? Now don't forget next time you write. Next Wednesday, I am going home for three days for the last time before leaving for the front. I will have to say goodbye to Mother and Dad and my sisters. I guess it will be a little hard but it won't be any harder than when I left you. The night before we left Montreal, I thought my heart would break. Do you know dear, after I left your house I did not say a word to Hobbs or Mr. Walker all the way up Galt Avenue until we got to the top of the street. I knew that if I opened my mouth I should cry. As it was, I could hardly control myself. I was upset that night. The bugle has just blown the mail call so I am going to see if there is a letter from you. ------ Well dear, nothing doing so I guess I will have to wait until next week now. It is a beautiful day and I would like to take a nice walk by the sea but unfortunately I am on duty till 9:30 p.m. If it is nice tomorrow it will be all right. I am looking forward to Monday and the ranges. I hope I make a good score because it is very important. I wonder if I will meet any of the old boys out at the front? I should like to, but I am afraid some of them have been killed. Well sweetheart, I don't think I have any more to say now but as soon as I get your next letter I will write again at once. Give my kind regards to Ma, Pa and Lily. Remember me to all the Mabury's and everybody else. What kind of people took the empty houses in the block?

I remain
Your loving boy
Bobie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Dearest Alice, are you still keeping account of all our kisses, or have you forgotten about them?
Bob XXX

Dear Alice, what do you think of the newspaper cuttings and the way the Germans are killing Canadians? I believe they have crucified a bunch of them.