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Date: March 8th 1916
To
Mother
From
Harold Dean
Letter

Avonmouth
March 8/16

Dear Mother:-

We have been moving lately with our cars and landed here yesterday. We left Catford last Saturday morning and have been going ever since. In our convoy #648 we have about 270 men We have 107 fords 45 Napier trucks and 5 large Peerless trucks. I am on one of the Peerless trucks in connection with the workshop crew. The drivers on the Peerless trucks are all Canadians and are on a roll call by ourselves. We have our own Leiut and sergeants and they are all fine men.

On the trip up here we were worked pretty hard. Out of our Fords twenty were broken up and we had to tow them into the towns behind us. We were on the road as late as two oclock at nights but they didnt make us get up very early in the morning because we followed the convoy picking up breakdowns. We loaded our cars on the boat this morning and we have to go on board this p.m. We are bound for German East Africa so have some sea trips ahead of us. This part of Africa however has a good climate, warm but healthy so we expect to see some more country. I tried to get on a convoy for France but couldnt get transferred in time. The boys that have been to France however are going to Africa with us because its not so hard work and there is no fighting down there. Well we are in the best of health now for a start and hope to have a good trip. Well I must close now as we will have to parade in a few minutes. My address will be the same except you might add East African Forces. Well you will have to wait for awhile for another letter but not any longer than me because I havent got any mail from anyone yet and wont get any now till we land in Africa.

Well we havent had any experiences to relate so I will have to close with love love to all the girls and Osborn and Slim also Dad and yourself and tell Grandma and the others I am fat and fit so

Bye Bye mother
Harold.

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