Shorncliffe, Kent
June 17, 1916

Dear Mother:

I suppose you wonder why my last letter ended so suddenly. But I was writing it a little at a time and Clifton Oliver had just come into see me and I had to fall in right away. So I gave it to him to post up town as he was going out. But I will try and write a longer one this time. This afternoon when Roy Howells and I were down in the YMCA who should come in but Arthur Moyer. I was glad to see him. I had been hoping he would come over as I could not get out because our battalion was put on C.B. today until further notice. Art is about three miles from us. His camp is called West Sandling while ours is Debgate Plains I believe. Our battalion us under canvas down in a valley not very far from Shorncliffe village and Clifton and a friend of his from the 12th Batt and I went down to Folkestone and along the English Channel. The town seems quite different from Canadian towns tho the streets are very narrow and some pretty old. There are no street cars you ride on a bus. We see more aeroplanes than automobiles around the camp here. The first week we were here it rained every day and became very muddy and the eats were very bad but things are getting better now. The weather is fine to-day and the food is improving. We were payed yesterday and everybody got three pounds ($15) the first we have had since the 15th of last month and it was very welcome. We sleep eight in a tent. Ours has a wooden floor in but most of them have to sleep on the bare ground which makes it rather cold. The grub is brought around and dished out at the tents into your mess tin. Lots of boys wish they could sit down to the table and eat what they used to turn down at the Ex which was like eating at a Hotel along side of this. Colonel Barber hopes to take the 95th to France as a unit and not be drafted like the other Batt. The other day we had a big inspection and if we go as a unit we are likely to go to Bramshott for training. Arthur says the 81st are all broken up and some of them have gone to the trenches and been wounded already. We will soon be getting our leave. The first lot are to go on Monday but I don't go until the second lot. I will go to London I guess.

Tuesday, June 20th

Last Sunday we went on a route march of about 15 miles in the country. We had all our kit on and carried rifles. It was a fine day and when we were up on the cliffs along the English Channel we had a fine view of Folkestone and you could see the cliffs of France across the channel. Everything is green here and the potatoes are up about a foot while lettuce and garden truck is ripe. I suppose by the time you read this you will be having ripe strawberries and cherries. Last night Roy Howells and I went downtown and ate a good supper of steak and ham & eggs. It was certainly good after the dry bread and cheese of camp. I am expecting a letter from you in about another week I hope. If I had only known I could have told you to write to - Pte J.B. Moyer. 201076, C. Coy., 95th Batt. CEF, Army Post Office, London, Eng. That is the way we were told to have our mail addressed. I forgot to give you that receipt for my pictures perhaps you have them before this but I will send it anyway and you can send it to Grace. Hoping you are well. Love to all.

Your Son.
Jay.