Sunday Evening

Dec. 17th 1916

Crowborough Sussex
Dear Dad: -

Many thanks for your letter received several days ago. I have been pretty busy writing lettes as I have received quite a bunch this last week. I received a letter from (?) Mundi. He is in quarantine and expects to be quarantined until after New Year and expects that they will be sent to France shortly after they get out of quarantine. He said he would be glad when the tobacco which you are sending arrives. Frank is in quarantine and so am I. I expect we will be out by Christmas. Frank expects to get out of it about that time. I don't know when I will get my Christmas leave. I might not get it till New Years. I am going to Somerset to see Mrs Tyler. She is Mr. Bristow's sister.

I did a lot of washing today. I washed 2 towels, about six pair of socks, a suit of underwear, about 5 handkerchiefs and a fatigue shirt. And now I am writing while the washing dries. We have not been able send away any laundry since we were quarantined. My writing is kind of shaky as I have jusst been dancing a Highland Fling to the music of a mouth organ.

I have had a bath twice since we were quarantined but did not have any clean underwear to put on. I am going to have clean clothes when I go on pass. If you were here you would not think it was winter time. We have had a little frost in the mornings like we have sown home in the mornings of early October. The worst of it is the weather is seldom clear. It is often foggy. We have had enough to do though we are quarantined. We have been going on route marches and doing Physical Exercise every day. It is nearly impossible to get Canadian tobacco here. I haven't seen any Old Chum tobacco around except with some of the boys who had it sent from home. McDonalds Chewing tobacco costs nine pence here, that is, eighteen cents. The last time I was in London I went for an automobile ride through London. I wrote to mother about it. No doubt you have seen the letter. I think it is needless to write it over again. I haven't had many newspapers from home. I would like to get both Free Press and Icelandic papers. I got a letter from Stjona a few days ago and she said Gimli was dead and said that she missed you in the store. We have been taking bomb throwing here before we were quarantined and I told Stjona that I would like to scatter a few bombs in Gimli to stir things up a bit. When you write next tell me all about the business and how the fishermen are getting on. I guess you be busy when you receive this. How is Thordur getting along with his fishing? How would you like to have me working int eh store with you? You would not have to break me in very much.

By the look of things I don't think I will go to France until about the middle of February. I was surprised to hear that Fusi Bergman was married. I remember how he used to talk against enlisting. We boys are always kicking but still we wooould not miss it for any thing. I am sure if we were civilians again we would enlist again. If I ever get back to Canada I will have a lot of things to talk about. Give my love to Gudrun & Snyder & Johanna & all the folks at home. Give my best regards to my Thorvaldson cousins & to all the friends. Write as often as you can.

Your loving son Archie.

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to all the folks.