Y. M. C. A.
H. M. Forces On Active Service

Reply to Me B Company 196 Bat. the Regt.
Stationed at Seaford Sussex Feb. 4 1917
Dear Kiddo.

So you haven't had a letter from me for ages well now thats funny for I have written nearly every week. Still the mail service is not to good & they will have to go around by Bigar for a while or would until I got your letter with your Saskatoon adress in it. Your congratulations for getting the O.T.C. were all in vain for that first jolt did for me eventually for though I did well in my exams, no one but the first bunch were allowed to go on. In fact only the highest of them got away. Leech failed in three subject so he did not go either The only results I have got yet are on map reading & I made 96% on it Not to bad eh! I was amongst the highest & was congratulated by Capt. Oliver who was one of the examiners.

I had a letter from Jim & he told me about being engaged to Violet. Gee I hope I get a chance to see her for they all say she is a swell girl. That is Jim does & mother & you. By the time the war is over I will be the only single one in the family unless it is you. Of course I have lots of time as I am young yet and will be able to hunt one up after the war. (if it is necessary?) to hunt. I expect to be home about October that will be just a year away.

Well Kiddo I leave for France most any time now & by the time you get this I will likely be there. I am going to send you some little present from here befor I leave if I can get ahold of anything in this blooming hole of a town. I sent Jessie some music of a play I saw in London. It may hold her for a while to play it but I cant help that.

Yes I got Hilda Mayne's card & very fortunately had sent her one so that she should have got it about Xmas time. I also wrote to her just after I got her card too but mail does not travel very fast these days. Hilda is a pretty fine girl judging from her letters & what I know of her. I was up to there place once when I was in Saskatoon but I did not meet her brother. Her mother seemed very nice & payed me quite a compliment. She said that she would not let Hilda go anywhere with many of the soldiers but let her go to the show with me.

You said to write a good long letter well Im darne'd if I know what in the world to write about. I have ridiculed these people over here until I am ashamed of myself I have criticized the country right & left & also everything inside of it.

I was down to the seaside along the esplinade yesterday & saw a few ships come in & dock & a few airplanes pass along & still you will say there is nothing to write about. You would think there was lots but once you see them they become common place & that is all there is to it. Just wait until I get over to France then you will get lots of news but I suppose that one shell goes over the same as another so it will be much the same as here.

Well my vocabulary has run out so I will have to quit & start all over again on one to Lena or Amy Frampton. Write again soon to

Yours Lovingly

Rae