No. 108573
C. Squadron 3rd C.M.R.
1st Mounted Rifle Canada
2nd Division C.E.F.
Army P.O. London
Sept. 15th 1915
SHORNCLIFFE CAMP

My dear old Ray,

I have just finished supper at the soldiers club, and will take advantage of writing you a few lines. I have no facilities for writing at all in Camp and do all my correspondence here. I expect by the time you get this we shall be in France. In fact I think it probable we shall leave this week. We had our emergency medical packet and identification disc served out today, so it begins to look like business. There does not seem to be much doing on the western front now so I don't suppose we shall see much fighting this winter. It seems strange to think that a year ago we used to look with such interest to our war news and the war pictures and soon I shall be seeing it all for myself. It must be nearly three weeks since I last heard from you. I think a letter may have gone astray, but I dare say you are too busy to write much. I shall have many very happy recollections of Folkestone, and though I was rather unlucky in getting such short leave I was very fortunate in seeing so much of the dear ones down here. Every minute of the time at Bakewell was very precious and we made the most of it I can tell you. I forget whether you ever heard that our horses were taken away. We got our infantry equipment a few days ago, and very heavy the pack feels on the march when one is not used to it. If we get in for any long marches right off I think I shall get a sweeny [?] shoulder. Kit bags are done away with now, and all one's outfit including the overcoat has to be put inside the pack on your back. When we leave here we shall also have our blanket and waterproof sheet rolled up under the pack, and 150 rounds of ammunition in the pouches, the whole thing with the rifle weighing about eighty pounds. I hope everything is going well with you. I shall think of you and Lysbeth a great deal and look forward to our next meeting. I hear the crops are heavy this year. I wonder if they would ripen all right. The Dunkerlys and the Freers are all staying here now, and I have seen quite a lot of them lately.

Well, goodbye old chap, I must stop. Best of love and good wishes to you and Lysbeth, and remembrances to Wilson and Liz and the kiddies.

Ever your affectionate
brother
Ernest