[Editor’s notes: The letter contains two pages marked as page “3”, and it is unclear if this is a page numbering error made at the time of writing, or perhaps a mix-up that occurred among letter pages after they were received. As page order is uncertain, page transitions have been noted in the transcription.
Dated using information provided by the donor, who stated that the “postmark bears the date July 12, 1916.”]

Camp Borden
July

Dear Mary

Come on write every other day some get 2 or 3 a day you can buy 5 or (?) cards and write a line every night manage the work some way as not to take such long hours hope your coald is geting better and the children are all good so you will have it a little better this place is all dust we are like black men every little while our drill grounds are a bout 5 miles long we had a march past for Sam Hughes to day and Loggie yesterday in 5 Batt lots it looks like some army as far as you can see is a string of Soldiers

[page “2”:]

Yesterday we could not take our water bottles along their were about 7 hundred fell out with the heat 2 or 3 Buglers died ambulance Auto’s red cross cars take them back to camp 2 or 3 Batt where on strike last night if we had rain every day or night it would be fine I sleep with out catching cold but do not get rested but I am getting hardened up good that pail of stuff does me good every other day I am on cup and plat washing for the rest of week we are the oldes Batt. about here Sam came up and said we would lead the way into Berlin our Bregade C.O. is a good head we are the 3^rd Brigade (166) (114) 125) 133) one more I do not no when he asked the Bridgade to present arms he said my thats good

[1st page “3”:]

The Camp grounds are about 3 miles from the Village of Angus have not been there for yet Walker walked up it is enough to do the Duty around here with out walking nights I am going to get my hair cut to night or in the morning I could not because of the sore scabe on the left side but it is good and hard now.

My I think it is so good that our folks are their just now The place must have looked good that night I was thinking of you about 7 or 8 ocl that night tell M she is a peach of a writer hope she will do a lot of it I get very lonely for letters

[note added at top of  page:] Thank you very much for the picture we are going to have one taken of us and tent
Roy

[2nd page “3”:]

Henery wife is staying Berry she run in the train to get him and crys most of the time. it costs them something terrible for board

I did not get hurt enough to go on sick parade the next day we were choping out stumps that after noon and their were some stumps with about 25 Pounds of Dinamight under them we were goind to march away and they let it off just about formed up when it was let off the junks looked like big birds in the air, but when they hit the ground they looked very rough the piece that hit me was about the size of two hands long and wide, I have just got your litter

[page “4”:]

I wish you had this $3.50 I will send it in this letter will get paid on Sat or Mon. will send you the money again It is terrable the waste of food here it is so dusty black barrels of it they are getting pigs to eat it

Tell Don we will have some pigs some day again I will come home the end of the month Jack I had to carry my old gun yesterday and today untill my left shoulder is sore. Stanley my big man you can write a line or two in a letter for dad and tell Don help you with dishes and keeping the little ones off the street, Bruce you must be lost sleeping in dads bed kiss Ruthie for me bye bye my darlings will see you soon

dad.