[letterhead: Canadian Military School Shorncliffe Kent]
Risboro Barracks
May 28, 1916

Dear Mother,

I just have time for a word with you before church parade. We have had a very full week, and have another ahead of us, winding up with an exam on Saturday. They have been firing Organization and Administration, Topography, Field Engineering, Military Law, & Tactics into us in solid chunks. I don't know how much of it they expect us to assimilate immediately. It is rather interesting tho' for the most part, and I am feeling quite fit under it so far.

I am enclosing some snaps - not of my own taking. The small group is I think very good. I send a couple of extra ones which you may care to give away - I am sending one to Rex myself.

Yesterday afternoon Malcolm & I hiked up over the hill to the north & found a nice spot under a hedgerow. We took notebooks with a sort of intention of doing some reviewing; but after half an hour we relaxed & lay back dozing and watching the Silver Queen sailing about high over-head. Then, as we lay in the stillness about 4.00pm we became aware of a far faint pulsation, and realized at last that across the channel, the great guns were starting their conversation.

Have just got back from church parade, and learned that the battalion is confined to barracks for the rest of the day. There are rumors of tent-pitching to be done this afternoon in preparation for moving out to-morrow. The School is to be moved from Napier to Risboro barracks - and we must vacate for the present. If we are given commissions and start on our three month's course, we shall probably be back before long. Meantime we are exercising Tommy's prerogative of grumbling at the C.B. on such a lovely day. The English weather so far has been greatly beyond my expectations.

Well, I guess that about finishes up the news; except that we were vaccinated yesterday. I got a dear letter from Mrs. Follows a couple of days ago. From what she said I expect you will be seeing Herbert & her about the time this reaches you. How I should like to see them and be with you all again at dear old Cecebe.

I have learned incidentally that there was target practice going on at Dover yesterday afternoon, so it is possible that what we heard was not a real bombardment.

By the way, I believe I will get you to send me that bundle of ms. poems that used to hang on my bookshelf, and is now in the top of my box. You had better send them to Louie and ask her to keep them for me. She says she wants to see some of them; and it will be safer to send them there anyway, as we do not know whether we shall be here or not in a month's time.

Love to all,
Bernard