Sept 2/ 17

Canadian Convalescent Hospital. Bromely - Kent

My Dear Betty & Kiddies :-

Well I arrived at the above address yesterday noon leaving Aberdeen at 8 P.M. on Friday Evening this place is just about six miles from London - It is to this place that all Canadian sick & wounded soldiers are sent as soon as they are fit to get arround at all - then those who are thought fit for duty again are sent on sick leave & back to their Reserve Battalion & those who are not deemed fit are sent to a Canadian Hospital for further treatment.

The doctor saw me soon after I came in, & as I am still hobbling around on sticks & suffering from insomnia he is sending me to our Canadian Hospital at Kingsford about 6 miles from here & right next to the Crystal Palace, They say that it is the finest hospital in England, & is financed by the Massey - Harris people they provide everything - However I will be able to tell you about it when I get there, I expect to be going
to morrow.

You will however still address your letters to Rose's at Blackburn. I am getting along famously considering the shaking up I got. It will soon be seven weeks since I was wounded & I fancy that it will be about another couple of months before I get out of Hospital & back to Bramshott to the 19th Reserve Batallion, & it looks as though at least I shall spend the winter in Blighty, if not longer.

Oh Betty I am so homesick, & have been ever since I arrived here yesterday. This afternoon I have been wandering around the town like a lost soul, "a stranger in a strange place" & the sight of fathers & mothers with their kiddies - & then the thought of mine so far away - well it was almost overwhelming & I just feel like getting away off to some lonely place for a good blubber.

However I should not be telling you things like this but be speaking of the time when I shall be with you again (& God grant it may be soon) When we think of poor Pryor & others who will never more return, well we ought to feel pretty thankful. Betty if anyone talks to me after this about the glory etc of war, I think that I shall be very rude to them.

Yes it was at Vimy where we were, & when I was wounded, we were just returning from the front line trenches in the suburbs of Lens in fact we had hardly been relieved half an hour, & the pathetic part of it was that The part I had charge of was the very last to be relieved & I was the last man to join the platoon and poor Pryor had waited for me, so that we could walk together, if he had not waited it is quite likely he would not have been hit. It seems strange does it not? Well dear, how's everything going? I look forward so anxiously for your letters, & they are somewhat spasmodic now - owing of course to my unsettled state.

I have not heard from you as yet, since you heard I was wounded, & am hoping that you have not been worrying. Have you received any notification from Ottawa? or has my name appeared in the casualty list, it does seem strange that Pryor's should be there & not mine - however I may have been missed some-how or other, the wonder of it is that there are not more mistakes than there are. I do hope Billy is keeping better + you yourself dear, Tell Shirley that she will have to look after the two of you until I come home, & then she can nurse me for awhile- It will be like heaven. Tell the kiddies that I shall be sending some more picture postcards as soon as I get settled, do you know that I am seeing more of England now than I did when I lived here, & of course, it was my first visit to Scotland, & I shall not soon forget it - Every one was so very kind. Well I must close now sweetheart I will write as soon as I get to Kingsford. My very best love, to you all, may God bless & keep you, & may we soon be reunited.

Yours lovingly

Daddy

Betty xxxxxxxx
Shirley xxxxxxxx
Billy xxxxxxxxx