Gunner Hale
1st Battery, 6th Brigade F.A.
2nd Division C.E.F.
Moore Barracks
Shorncliffe
England

My Dearest Alice,

I received your very welcome letter today. It seems an age since a Canadian mail came in. So you have started to run round the country, eh. Well dear, what do you think of New York? I guess it must be something like London from what I can make of it, with all the subway railroads. Yes, they do travel some, believe me. I discovered that when I was in London. I guess you are back in quiet little Verdun again now. I guess it is nice weather now there. It is getting warm here now and we are getting sunburned and getting lots of work now. Well dear Alice, how did you enjoy yourself in the States and what do you think of it? We had a nice church parade yesterday. All the artillery and the infantry. Some bunch with two bands. It was quite nice. One of the boys and myself bought a Kodak camera. We are going to take some pictures. I will send you some when we get them printed. It has been a beautiful day and dry. Archie Gordon and myself went to town Saturday afternoon. Between us we choose a bracelet. It is plain but good. I think you will find it worth wearing. I am going down tomorrow night to get it. I left it to be engraved inside. I hope you will like it. I think you will. I have enclosed a picture taken of a group of us. Archie Gordon is the guy sitting in the front on the left and Ross is in the center. On the right in the front is Douglas Watterson. His father is a hardware man in Montreal - quit well off. It is him and I who bought the camera. The fellow marked with a cross is our roughrider. He was a cowboy. He lives in our house and we have lots of fun with him. The fellow between him and I was the Colonel's servant but one night he got drunk and turned in in the boss's bed. He was up for office the next day and lost his job. So he is doing some work again now and we are always fooling him about it. He gets mad. It's very funny. I am so glad dear that you are having a good time. I am awfully sorry that you were not well after I went away dear. But cheer up dear. We will meet again I believe. I hope so because you are the dearest thing in the world to me now. We have to keep on drilling until 5:30 p.m. now. The instructors who are with us say that we are further advanced than the first contingent batteries were when they went to the front. They are just making us go the whole way now from 5:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. I don't mind because we are training with an end in view and for a good purpose. Lord Kitchener wants to send all the artillery he can to France as soon as possible for the big fight. Well my dear sweetheart, I hope I am there and when I come back to you I will be able to say I have been somewhere and seen something. My dear girl, will you please send me a picture of yourself in your new suit. I have not got my good pictures yet. Well dear, I hope I shall live to see the time when you and I can travel to New York together on a honeymoon trip. It will be lovely Alice, won't it? I had a nice letter from Pa today so I must answer it and one from Lily too. They tell me Jock has enlisted in the Scots. I would like to see him in kilts. What do you think of the handkerchief? Some class to the colour. Don't take it to church by mistake for a white one. The camera is one of those small ones so that we can put it in our pockets when we go to the front. We will be able to send you some pictures of the battle line. Well dear, I hope you won't be disappointed at my little present. If you don't like it, just wear it sometimes for my sake, will you please. I will get it tomorrow and then I will register it so you can expect it soon after this letter. I forgot to say you must excuse us in the picture. We look a rough lot, but we had just come in from a long ride when it was taken and we were all very dirty. Well goodbye darling for now. The boys are playing the gramophone again and I feel lonesome for you. Do you remember the night when we laughed at Cora when she said she felt homesick because we played The Harbour of Love? Well, I guess that is how I feel now. Goodnight sweetheart and good luck. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. Give my love to all and tell Jock to hurry up if he wants to see the fighting. My best love to you dear.

I remain
Your Loving boy Bob XXXXXXXXXXX
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