sOnboard T.L.L."Letitia"
April 23rd 1917
Please excuse this letter written on arrival at Port
My dearest Dorothea,
Just a line to sat that I have arrived safely in Halifax and I am on my way.
The voyage has been good tho' dull, and monotonous, without incident When I have got my address I shall send you a Post Card.
It is beautiful summer weather here on this coast.
I hope you and Mother enjoyed your stay at Port Stewart. I shall probably go from here to some clearing station, perhaps at Quebec, and remain there for a few days.
We crossed the Atlantic in a Hospital Ship and there are a great number of very badly broken men on board. As I have already said the voyage has been very good. I have met one or two men from our old battalion on board, all cripples.
I received your letter just after I had written to Mother. I quite agree with your proposition to go out West, but I shall send you more detailed "comments" later when I get more able to say what the military are going to do about it in my case.
I had not promised the Lees boys anything but I intend to send them a P.C. I had got mixed up in their names, did not know which was Jimmy or which was Dicky. Pity that Cassie was not a little more versatile in naming the Children, as from a utilitarian view it leads to confusion but I do not think that I "gave myself away" as regards the names of the lads when at 10 Landsdowne Road.
I hope that Uncle John continues to keep up.
Is Alex Robertson still in Cork?
With best of hope wishes and love to Mother and you I remain
Your Willie