Bramshott Camp
Aug 26/16

Dear Mother:-

I got your letter to-day and one from Anna and Kates too and it was a treat to get them too. The rest of the lads are all away on pass But one or two and it is pretty dull around the camp. I am going next week to London for 5 days it will Be a Rest from drilling anyway.

But we are getting to like it a little Better all the time only for the grub it isnt very good. But I always get what I eat in the canteen and it costs me abot 50¢ a days. So there isnt much left of my money at the end of the month. we got paid the other day and I got 10 shillings that is $2.40. But I was short for some of my kit and they kept it out and next time I will get a little more did you get the $20.00 yet. if you havnt let me know you should get it by the 5th anyway. Say if you can spare it put $5 in the Bank for me Just when ever you can for I wont Be able to save as much as I thought I would after I found the way things were here. I am sorry to hear about Aunt Effie. I will write to her as soon as I can. What ever happened Alice Meany Willis didn't know anything about it God help the poor Devil that got her say she cant be anymore than 16 is she. She was no use at home what ever will she Be like now and I dont suppose she will improve very much.

This place is Just like what Alex said only it is not away in the Bush. we traveled all day on the train and I didnt see much Bush. I dont think There can be much Bush in this country.

How is paws sore is it any Better has he started at his grain yet. it is all in the stook over here and all seems to have Been pretty good.

Say if you ever write to Old Polly tell him where I am he will know this country allright for it only cost 90¢ to go from here to London Return But the fare is cheaper here than it is in Canada. I think I will try and get Reduced to a pte again for we are on the go from daylight till dark and never get a minute to ourselves. we are always working after all the ptes are in Bed and for all there is in it it isn't worth trying for and we get no thanks for it either and if it dont get better I am going into the Ranks I was on duty all the time we were in Halifax and 3 days after we got onto the Boat and now I am orderly Corpl. next week again and we are always getting the duce for something Besides the dirt we get from the men. if it isnt orderly Corpl it is guard or picquet or Fatigue. well I have just come back from supper you can imagine what it would Be. I was talking to Willis at the cookhouse and he asked me about Alice he had a letter from home that was written on the 4th and they didnt say anything about it to him and he is pretty sore about it he says they might have told him ahead anyway. Well after all old Pollys talking about this country I wouldnt give half our farm for all I have saw of it and we came very near all the way across it. we got a Bunch of Sault Stars to-day and the cirtanly were welcome. they were dated from the 1st till the 5th it seems funny Reading letters and papers dated so far Back. But I guess we will get use to it after a while all the lads from the Bay are fine but they dont think much of the country the camp is in a pretty good place. it is dry there is no mud I dont hardly see how water enough to lay here to make mud there is so many hills it is Just like Sylvan valley for hills and coming on the train it was Just out of one tunnel into another.

But the way of handling horses gets my goat when they have a heavy load on they lead them and if they have two horses it is either one ahed of the other or else two set of safts and they go along just like as if they were single. But in the army it is nearly all mules they have.

Well I have to go after my Blankets we had them all fumigated to-day ad our clothes the fellows in the Hut Behind us has the mumps and are quarantined.. it is awfull cold at night here to what it is up there and the days are a lot cooler too we are not Bothered much with warm weather how is every Body are they all alive I see in the Star the 227 was to leave for Camp Borden on the 14th did they get any more Recruits at the Bay Before they left well I guess this is pretty near enough for now. I havnt written to Jim yet for I dont know where to write to if I send it to perry it may lay there for six months if he isnt there and if I send it to the Bay might not send it to him either. Well I will say Good Bye. Write often and soon

Love to everybody

John

Bramshott Camp
Liphook
Hants
England