Winnipeg
Nov 10/15

Dear Mother

I recieved your letter and showed it to Bill and he said he would try to get time to write to-day. He has been on duty for the past 24 hours and has just come off. I got a snap to-day all I have to do is to get the guards meals three times and take back the dirty dishes so will have lots of time to myself today, but still cannot leave Barracks. There is not much news that is of any importance so I will not be able to write much of a letter, but it will be a letter anyway. We had an awful snow storm on Sunday night, it put a lot of the electric plant out of working order as well as water and telephones. It did not seem to be a very bad storm around here but it has been bad around the country in different places. The streets have been awful slippery since so we have not had any route marches so far this week and had no parade on Monday. We drilled all day yesterday in slush with nice wet feet but I got another pair of boots Monday which will help matters out quite a bit. I have been looking for a needle to sew on some buttons but cannot find any so I guess I will have to give the tailor a job or else try and borrow one which will be pretty hard to get. I have not met anybody that I know yet, Monday night I went down to the carnival but I was postponed until Friday on account of no lights, I put in for a permanent pass and get it on Monday which entitles me to stay out till 11.30 every night. They are issuing them to men who have been on good standing. They have quite a few in the guard room doing detention and always have a bunch on defaulters and there also has been some giving their discharge and more will get theirs if the do not mend their ways. Some fellows have not been in barracks since we came but they have nearly all of them back and still some of them stay away for a day or so and lots of them never come in at nights, but it will be different when we get into our new barracks as it is pretty hard to keep track of them now as they are scattered around, but most of the companies are together. There was supposed to have been a parade of all the soldiers here on Friday but I saw by the paper last night that it had been cancelled as they are trying to get a half holiday in the city but the shops do not approve of it so I do not know when it will take place. I get the papers from the office every week at least I have got them the last two weeks now so I guess there is no need of you sending them. You addressed my letter to [?] but I am back into [?]. I thought I told you, I will get home alright but it might be a few days before they find out that I am not in their company. It does not matter about he number but it has been changed. (441266). They have put another four in front of them so it will be easily remembered. I have not got onto the names of the streets yet but can find where I want to go. It has started to thaw pretty good today so I guess we will be able to parade on the streets before long. There are an awful bunch going on sick parade every day now. I do not know what it is, most of them with colds, I guess it is poor ventilation, at nights I cannnot get to sleep for quite a while because it is generally pretty hot at nights and the place is always full of smoke besides fellows are coughing and a few of them get a little too much booze, especially a corporal that sleeps opposite to me. I t is getting chilly in here now as there is hardly any fires on in the day time and they keep the front door open. Quite a few fellows are off of parade on account of sore feet, walking on the pavements does that. Well I guess I will cut it short, with love to all

from your loving son
Gordon

Nov. 11/15

I forgot to mail this last night so I will add a few more lines before I post it. When we came in off parade today Dane Holland was in the barracks to see some of the boys. I saw him at first and took a good look at him but could not remember him. I told him Uncle Dick was here and he said he would look him up. He used to work for Uncle on the survey. He knows Turner. I t rained yesterday afternoon and night and frooze this morning with a little snow and our parade ground is pretty sloppy so we had the [?] for it today and they sure were awful slippery. It is hard walking, slipping all the time and the worst of it we are having a big parade tomorrow. All the troops in the ‘Peg will be out and every place is closing even the schools so it will be some demonstration. Bill wrote this afternoon and posted it so I guess they will get there together. It is turning colder out tonight and looks like more snow. Things looks as if winter is going to set in for sure.

Love to all

Gordon