Can. Mil. Hospital.
Eastbourne,
19/4/17.
Dear Mother,
Last night being my first night here and being somewhat upset I just went down town instead of writing.
I was very much surprised on Tuesday night about ten, when the Ord. Sgt. told me to retire right after dinner & report at Eastbourne, the following day. In a good many ways, I was sorry but of course this is a much nicer town, more to do tho, less sleep, and it will take more money. As soon as I arrived, I went into see Capt Henderson & had a talk with him. He said that while he had hardly enough to require me, he would see what he could do, but later was told to report on Ward 7, in the morning. May get in with Henderson yet tho. Ward 7 is one of the two surgical wards & is on the ground floor. Capt Jento is in charge, and this morning, I asked him if he would sign a paper, allowing me to wear slacks (instead of puttees) on duty. He was quite disagreeable & said he had no right to do that. I told him that the Sgt. Major said if he signed it, he would see the O.C. He said nothing more, so I wrote out the slip & gave it to the sister & asked her to have Capt. J.- O.K. it, which she did. I then got it thro all right also a midnight pass. To-night Capt J., came in the kitchen to wash his hands & was quite friendly, asked me when I took my moustache off & said he did not know me without it.
We have 20 beds on the ward & I will likely be on it alone in a couple of days, but don’t think it will be as hard as Moore at that. The patients do a good deal of the work & the meals are practically all prepared in the main kitchen. It is more work but a thousand times more interesting than a medical ward.
The Perth boys were moved to, I think Shorum or Shoreham or some such place, some time before I went to Seaford & likely many are casualties now. They are sending every possible man over. The last I heard, Jim Mc Kinnnon was to go the following morning with most of the 168th, Nixon in a few days as a Sniper, Money was on draft & Gord Parker up at the ranges, so they are moving quickly now, you know better than I, what the casualties are, and I expect the 168.s have figured in the list before now.
Frank Darrow is on no [?] [?], I saw a letter from him & know he is on the strength of a Batn., I think the 2nd, and I understand he is a private altho may still have up his stripes & be getting his pay. You can easily see, why a private over there six months or more, possibly a qualified Lieut. and knowing every inch of the line, should be made a Sgt. over these boys. It is so with all ranks, & that is one reason they prefer promoting to accepting new, superior officers and is also the reason men are sent back, tho wounded three or four times. They know the game.
You are right, those who have no one in the war, do not realize what it means. You have little idea, yourselves, as I am by no means in it. In Brighton, were it not for the soldiers in the streets and the fact that there are few civies of certain ages, you would not realize there was a war on. You have to look close even, to see the latter fact. I expect and hope to see conscription in Canada before the end of June as the war cannot be won this year. It may of course end from other causes, but I hardly think anything but a real victory will satisfy the allies.
Wednesday morning, they torpedoed another hospital ship just off our coast. Altho our ambulances were working all morning on the convoy, I don’t know the real truth. They wont tell, but about 500 British and 26 Germans were landed. It is said about 710 Germans were lost, but it is not official.
My pyjamas are fine as yet, and show no signs of wear. Believe me, the patients are always awake by six & often by 5.30.
You must have misunderstood about the sleeping-quarters. The original quarters were on the top storey of Southlands, the Mumps building but when I wrote you were moved into a room on the top storey of Raven’s Croft and later to a larger room on the same floor, with good beds, sheets etc. I have a pretty decent place to sleep here, in the garret, but a bed with blankets.
You never mention getting my diary leaves & the orders etc I send. Do you get them or are the letters censored?
I sent a parcel of junk home from Seaford, may want some of it later, but will ask for it if I do. I also sent stamps by reg. mail.
I could not come to wearing the issue underwear & turned it in when I came here yesterday. The other is badly worn, but I am keeping it to-gether till I get to the North of Eng. or Scotland, where things are cheaper. I may have trouble getting a pass now, but will try, I will get thin wool, not cotton.
Yes, the temptations here are fierce, some of the stores even sell cigarettes. Believe me tho, they are cutting down in meals to soldiers, I believe a soldier cannot spend more than 1/3 on a meal & cannot buy meat – this does not refer to a man on pass. While most food is not scarce, they are not taking chances.
I have my watch back to-day, the bracelet is as enclosed, and is wonderfully good. I will try to put the manufacturer in touch with Levy.
I have been talking as I write & it is now 9.30.
Lovingly,
Worth.
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