Bramshott Camp Feb 6/16 My Dear Brother, I rec' your welcome letter the other day and was very glad to hear from you. We moved from Sandling to here last Monday and arrived about nine o'clock at night but things weren't so bad as last time as we had an advance party to get things ready for us. Number one and two companies came first with the pipe hand and three and four companies came a couple of hours later with the brass hand. We are not here for very long as by all reports we are going over to France in a short time. The date is supposed to be sent when we are going. They say it is between the middle and the last of this month and I think it is true by all the preparations which they are getting ready. I'm afraid Mac Woods is not going to get away with us as it is the middle of the month before he gets out of quarantine and maybe the convalescent home after that. Mac has flat feet anyway and maybe he would get turned down. We have all had our last medical inspection before we go to France. Quite a number of lads were turned down in our company alone. Quite a number were turned down with weak hearts and flat feet. One lad had his ankle sprained at one time and it was a little swollen but never bothered him in the least bit. He was turned down and put on fatigue around the camp. It is one of the hardest things to get a clear discharge from the army. If you are not fit for active service they give you a job running a transport team or a batman for some for some of the officers. To tell you the truth this army is one string of red tape. They'll get in every turn if you try to buck them. There are several fellows in our band here that we used to know. I saw one of them the other day and spoke to him. He was one of the Burke boys that used to be at Manitoba. One of the Herald boys and some of the Davidsons are also in the bsnd so Burke was telling me that I don't know them at all it was so long since I was in Manitoba. One of those Steven's boys from Baldur is in the same battalion. He was the same one that you and Porter went down to see one time when you were at College last winter. Justin Cema and Murrey Gerling are in this camp with a battalion from B.C. Cema is the same fellow as he was at home happy go lucky chap. Yesterday morning we were out on a battalion route march with the two bands. We certainly make a fine appearance with our kilts on. The Colonels and all the officers, except the lieutenants were on horse back. The lieutenants carry a pack just the same as we do now. It will bring them a little closer to what we had to do. When we left Wpg we carried a pack from the Barracks to the station and thought we were being killed but now we go out for a route march all day with fullpack on and it never bothers us. To tell you the truth the forty third is one of the best battalions that ever left Manitoba.  You may this think this is B.S. but it isn't. We wouldn't be going over to take a battalions place in the First Canadian Division if we hadn't a good battalion. At the front here is a Highland brigade and they have a French Canadian bunch in it. They are known as the 14th and when it came to a charge these fellows backed out and wouldn't keep up their end with the other highlanders. They can't do anything with them so we are going to take their place and that will form a Highland brigade. This is the straight good I'm giving you and us fellows are not ashamed of the battalion we are in. We has the best name around Shorncliffe for saluting officers in the towns. George Money and I are taking a course in bomb throwing now and have to go to a brigade school this next week. It is a good job and plenty of excitement. It will certainly be kind of lonesome for Mother and the children and I guess you are having pretty stiff weather but the trip will do Father good. I have to go on picket tonight and it has been raining all day and I guess all night. Well we are having an early supper tonight and it is nearly supper time now. So long old boy and don't study too hard. From your loving brother Jim