June 22nd, 1916

My Dear Mother;

I don't really know how this week has gone but it nearly is. It seems like about Tuesday but it really is Friday. When one has something to do time flies and in many ways it does, but it is rather rough on letter writing.

I think I told you last week that I have a job again. Yes, it is better than nothing but it is not what I should have liked. It is easy enough to be nice. I have no responsibilities whatsoever. All I have to do is to 'carry on' as it were. This week I have been doing more walking than before. Now I walk half way (about a mile and [a] half) and ride the remainder. Soon I shall walk the whole 3 miles. I am getting used to my surroundings also and like it all much better. Every day I meet old friends and it makes it much nicer. Today I met one of the boys just returned from the front. Last time I saw him he was a miserable Captain (like myself) but he has been promoted to Major. He is Medical Officer for one of the reserve battalions here and his office is second up from our hut. So he called for me after four and took me over to his mess for tea. It was a real treat to get into a real mess again with large arm chairs, lounges and etc and after tea we had a nice quiet smoke and a chat. Then too there are some very nice people in Folkestone, and I think I am very fortunate to meet so many of them. I am afraid I am quite addicted to the tea habit, much as I used to sneer at it. It is very nice to have a cup of tea and some cake at 4:30, especially as I have lunch now as 12 noon and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Today I had three invitations to tea, it's awful to be popular isn't it, but could only attend one, which is of course the worst part of it.

I hear today that all leave is canceled absolutely, and that no mail is to be allowed to or from for some little time. But as long as I am here I shall be able to write, even if I haven't anything worth writing about. Even at that I would ever so much like to get back. Every day I have some of the boys in, who are on their way over again, and it does make me feel envious.

I have been too busy this week to get down to Hythe, to see Mrs Ketchen, but will do so at [the] first opportunity. She is such a nice woman but so nervous. The boys are all getting along well now and no appendicitis in the family.

I am off on an errand of mercy tomorrow. Lorne St John has never been up to London. So he put in for a pass last week. He wants me to go up with him, and while I am rather sick of the place for [the] time being, yet I guess I can stand a day and a half of it. We leave tomorrow at one thirty and get home Sunday evening. He wants to see St. Pauls and Westminster so I guess I can guide him that far.

You all know Mrs Milner of Winnipeg don't you? Em does anyway. Well she is over here now to see Roy. She has seen him in fact and he had 6 days with her in London, which was grand wasn't it? I wish I could see my Mother for six days, that's all. Well, Auntie & [?] both wrote to say she was in England and so I wrote and told her that Lorne and I would be up to see her. That's why Lorne got his pass. Two days later she sent word around to our headquarters that she was in town and wanted us to go around for dinner. Which needless to say we did with much �clat. It was a great treat to see her again. Just like money from home. She is looking fine and intends spending another month traveling about England. I wish you could do the same thing.

I am glad for Alf's sake that he has secured a place in the battery. I know he wanted to get right down to work and now he will have all he wants of it. I mean to say that the artillery is much more interesting than the infantry.

I am feeling better every week and am nearly in the pink again. The Reades' are the limit and still treat me as an invalid. They are certainly good hearted people. Be sure and send my mail direct to above address until further notice.

Father's letter rec'd two days ago and will write him soon. Glad all are so well and happy and so am I.

Lots of love for all and heaps for self. Kind regards to Miss Smith.

Loving son
Wilbert.