Moore Barracks Hospital
England, October 7th/16.
My Dear Nerta,
To-night when I came off duty at 6.30 I thought I would not write, as it was very dark and raining, I went in the canteen to get my evening fruit, banana and apple and when I came out, it was lovely, moon and stars shining brightly, all in fifteen minutes. The weather changes very quickly here.
I was glad to-day to get the Observer of the Sept. 7th issue, altho I have not recieved the last August issue as yet. Guess I will hardly get it now.
I am still on ward 31 and working very hard. We had seven operations to-day but only one to transfer out. I have asked to be transferred back to ward 5, did not want to have it in the first place, and expect to get back in a couple of days now. The work is too heavy and hard for me. The head Sister in 5 has asked for me back too, so that should help some. It is reported tho that No. 10 goes to Shoreham down near Brighton, on the fifteenth of the month. I hope it is true, then I can have you send say once a month, a parcel post package of S.E. Posts Sat night etc. for me to read, but while we are so unsettled and outside, there is no use. Of course there may be nothing at all in it, or if there is, it may be cancelled.
I would like tho, as soon as you can send me it, a Hutax tooth brush and powder, a couple cakes of soap, Pond’s or Carbolic, and get a tin salve box about one or 1 ½” across and fill it with that Rexall Mentholine Balm. Don’t send a jar but send a box like that every month or six weeks. I find it very useful for the little visitors we have at night as they usually get a pretty good meal off me. You are to pay for these things, and you can buy them as cheap or cheaper there as I can here. They stick us most terribly. Then I can have the kind I want. My Hutax brush has split, I never saw a brush do it before
We have a very great number of appendix cases, and I believe some of our men are working all the time, trying to find a germ responsible for this disease.
Those snaps are certainly fine, I have put them over my heart with my little leather case. A patient showed me a case of pictures cards the other day, that stopped a fine piece of shrapnel, from getting him. I often wish you were over here with me, I surely miss you. Of course I miss you all, but you and I had so much in common. I of course don’t get a chance to do any developing now. I will send you a pack as soon as I can get it taken, will try and get three or four of myself in it. When I get back on 5, I will perhaps get charge of the kitchen, and will have a couple taken in there.
We had it quite cold here about the time you wrote (Sept 15) but it is warmer now, and I suppose I am getting used to the cold. I don’t like the damp clothes in the morning tho.
We hear that 10,000 to 17,000 Canadian troops have arrived here, but I will not know, till I hear from you, so try and let me know. If it is true, I think likely the 168th would be included.
No, I don’t think England is the worst country on earth but I would like to see it in a motor. It must be very pretty. I do think tho that the people of England, or of this district, at least, are a miserable bunch of curs, the way they are robbing the Canadians. Once this war is over and Canada is in a normal state, I would not be surprised to see a move for a Canada, independent of Britain, and I for one would be very much in favour of it.
I wish I had some peaches to peel. I managed to get a bottle that had been done up by a woman in St Catharines, but when I opened it, they shot all over. They were fermented, much to my sorrow as I was figuring on having a nice little tea off them.
If you are knitting sox you had better get busy on some for me, altho mine are wearing wonderfully well, I don’t think I have made a hole in a toe yet, except in silk ones. I have had to darn some of the army issue around the ankles. Aunt Marts are fine, but inclined to go around the top of the shoe, like Hazel Macks did. Knit a cuff of a different color or a couple of rows of a different color then I can tell my own at a glance.
No I did not know Spence was a D.S.O., some kid. Eh? I am glad he got it.
Berniece is a peach to lose her suitcases. They are so much alike nowadays, that it pays to have your initials painted on each end. Saves a good deal of trouble. Quinnie lost hers, coming from a dance in Galt not long ago, and had a deuce of a time getting it. Possibly Addie Waller, was in the same store in Galt as Quinnie’s sister.
You will be having a muscle like mine from mowing the lawn. Yesterday we transferred six stretcher cases and they are some lift. It nearly kills me, but I guess I will survive it all right.
If we move a week from to-morrow, we will likely get settled in a nice little home of our own, inside, and then it will be like living. I don’t like so many strangers around. I must admit tho, that I like sleeping in a tent, if we only had cots and room to put our things. I think tents will be greatly in demand in Canada, after the war is over.
Well Dear, it is 8.30 and I have a little mending to do before I go to bed,
Your loving brother,
Worth.
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