Dear Mr Mackenzie,

First of all, Please excuse this writing, I'm lying on my back on a bed in St Luke's Hospital Ottawa Ont. After trying ever since last year to get Mother's consent to enlist she let me. But the doctors at home would not take me on account of being underage The all knew me before. So I came to Ottawa as you know perhaps How keen I was in the Cadet Corps. I'm just as keen about the Army so I came here to join the Engineers (Motorcycle Corps) there are different parts of the service. We take Signalling, Motorcycling, telegraphy etc. which as you can envisage is quite interesting. Of course I had to "fib" about my age to get in here. But I heard you say once that a boy could be excused for lying about his age to get to the war (or) words to that effect. Last Wednesday night I took cold on guard & got tonsilitis & didnt say anything about it So on Sunday I just had to report sick & they send me here for an operation & I'm almost better. All my chums are at the war & my cousin Arthur won the D.B.O. & has been wounded (Had his ear taken off) & is a Major. But he enlisted as a "private" & won those honours on the field which is more honourable.
Don't you think so? How is the old school. I loved that school I spent the best 2 years of my life there & I cried when I left. I dont believe anybody that went there wasn't sorry to leave. I hear from Syl Hadley occasionly. He hates Ridley College like poison. Who do you think I saw in Montreal before I came away? Archie Lampman. In the Canadian Dragoons. Officer. He spoke to me. I had a long talk with him about going then, but I gave the idea up. I suppose the boy's have all gone on their holidays. If you have got magazine or Spare Period. Please send it. Do you remember the one I put out? I hear Cecil Davy passed his exam for Naval College. How is my old friend Ken? & Mrs Mackenzie? & the girls. So please write & tell me all about the past year.

Your old friend
Graeme.

My address is
Corporal H.G. Gardinn
#2265616
Signal Training Depot.
Ottawa Ont.