Bramshott Camp,
Hants
Sept 30/16

Dear Mother:-

I got you letter to-day and was glad to get it too. well say about Alice Anna did tell me she was married and I told Willis and he believed it But it was only a few days till he got the snapshot. I didnt know it was pearl till I got your letter we Thought it was the awfullest looking thing I ever saw and the darn curtin and flowers looked so good. But Willis knows all about it now it was a duce of a thing to do. But it was all done with out the intention of any harm.

Well say you may be sure anything from home to eat would be mighty welcome for we have to Buy anything we get over here that is fit to eat and This pay I didnt get any at all we have to have $20 to our credit and they Kept it out of this pay I will only get 2.40 on the 15 of next month and 7.20 at the end of this month so it leaves me pretty hard up But I Borrowed 2 so I guess I can manage. the tobacco is the worst I always smoke cigarettes and it cost an awfull lot but I cant smoke the tobacco at all. tell Jim to send me some chewing tobacco McDonald for there is times I cant Smoke when I can chew I havent chewed tob for 2 years now and I hate like the duce to start again But it is pass time and it takes your mind off your long hike and a Route March when you cant smoke. I am sorry you didnt get the money But I guess no one got it at all yet and it may take quite a while before you do get. you see it has to go from here to the Canadian pay office at London and then to Ottawa so it will take a quite a while for all that But There is so damn much Red tape even for a man to get a piece of Bread it makes me sick.

But after it once comes you will have no trouble getting it I dont think. Now say dont ever leave your self short in what you put away I thought I could save some of what I got over here But Lord sake it takes all I get to pay for what I eat I would die on this food it is the same thing all the time. fish or cabbage and I think the fish came down in the Rain the time of the flood and Noah kept them in the ark. they smell like that anyway all the fellows I have Been talking too say They are fed Better over in France but not in the Hospital. So if you ever hear of me been in the Hospital send something to eat right away. well I am cirtanly sick of this country I would take any money and live here. I Think I have almost crossed the country now and I never saw any place I liked But you Know the climate is differant and They have such a differant way of doing everything. after we get use to it I think we will be able to like it Better But There is nothing the same. I Think Canada was just about the same maby 50 years ago. The Farms are differant not laid out the same nor worked the same. everything is deer. well a cup of tea is 1 penny in Canada we got it 2 for 5. Beer is cheaper and that is about all we pay 3 shillings a month for our washing and at Niagara it was 1.25. Just think of getting paid $2.40 after Being use to getting $5 and then $26. But the Englishmen only get 4 shillings a month I think. I am sorry to hear about Oliver Strachan I wish I had written to his dad before he left he dont know what is ahead of him I can tell you that and if I could I would tell his dad yet you people know nothing I can tell you that. But we are all right and will fair fine I Think so dont worry at all about us we are all fine and all share up whatever we have with one and an other. when we go out for a Route March at night on a Rough Road George Nash and I are together and we take hold of hands to keep from falling. that is the way they all go nearly. I never saw such a Rough Country. You have heard of Williams Hill in the Valley well our camp is an one just as Big and that is nothing to what some of them are. it is not one half as travel as Canada. why our hill is only a Knoll to the hill over here. well I would like to be back there to hear the threashing machines whistles. all we can here is Bugles from daylight to 9.45 pm. Say Dan is a dandy Buglar far the Best in this Battn. I made him wright to his dad to-day and he wrote to Anna too I Think. well I Think this is pretty near enough for now. I will write again in the middle of the week I got a lettr from Liz Mason she is the only one I have had any word from only Miss McLeod and pearl. I had a letter from pearl to-day and she said Jim had Been in the Sault 3 days. then is he working up there? I hope paw gets along allright on the Road and am awfull sorry to hear his lump is no Better. is it Brownes team he has on the Road. well I will say good Bye for now.

Love to all

John