Southampton, Eng.,
June 7th, 1916

 Mrs. M. B. Shook,
11440-65th St.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

 Dear Sister,

 Just a line while I can write in England as we are expected to sail for France today.  It was just a month ago today we landed in England and we have been on the jump all the time.  We are all fixed up now though and ready for most anything.  I have got out of being vaccinated and have had only the first inoculation so I guess I am lucky there.  Also have clothes enough and big enough now.  We all have to wear the English boot which is a good one and iron shod—much more so than the ones we had.  They have made a mistake in my identification disc.  They spelled the name Drayder and only give C.W. for initials, but I don’t think I can get it changed now and hope that there will be no mistake if anything happens to me.  Will’s is all right.  I was on Picquet duty on some of the streets of Southampton last night and say it was torture.  Thousands of girls talking and teasing us and we had to keep in line.

 Neither Will nor I have heard from you or Earl since we left Edmonton.  Have you forgotten all about us?  Am enclosing a letter to Lyle Bennedict and I wish you would please try and put his address on it and stamp it and send it on.  You will find his address on any of those cards I got at Xmas—you remember.  I think my Post Cards are in a cigar box in my trunk.

 Hope you are all well and not working too hard.  We are in the 49th Battalion now but you had better address us as before.

 Your Loving Brother,
Pte. #101749 C.W.A. Drader
3 Coy. 66 O. Battalion
British Expeditionary Force
Canadians,
Army P.O.
London, Eng.