No. 1 Coy. 11th Reserve Battalion
Shorncliffe, Kent
March 10th 18

Dear Mother:-

I received your letter of Feb 11th yesterday. I also had one from Syd which I will enclose. I have had no word from Frank since I wrote you last.

Well dear I am sorry that our letters seem uncommunicative but I never can seem to find anything to write about.

Aunt Mary seems to be having her own troubles but I guess things will come alright. I am sorry to hear about little Jack, he was such a lovable kid.

I am writing in the YMCA hut and they are holding a service in the other end. There is a woman trying to rip open the top notes, so excuse any mistakes.

I might mention that D(i) means six months training, not six weeks, and means that they are fit after training so you need have no anxiety about Sydney. When I saw him he was looking fine but of course he was pale but then we all are. I expect that Syd will be down here in a couple of weeks.

Well we are having first class weather now and it looks as if it is going to last. I am still going on with the usual training and am feeling better than I have for a long time. I was certainly fed up with lying around for so long. I am afraid we are a long way from being physically unfit.

There are a bunch of conscripts in the camp now, but it is as much as 28 days in the clink to call them that. They keep them separate from the casualties. However it won't be long before some of them are back wounded and made as much fuss of as we were.

There have been a lot of men go back to Canada but mostly cripples or men over thirty or married. It is pretty hard for a young fellow to get back unless he is permanently unfit.

We are all perfectly at home at Prescott Row's place and Peggy is tickled to death when we turn up. She is the only child and goes to a girl's school so sees very few if any boys. She is very precocious and old-fashioned. She chums with Judith Warner who is twelve and talks like eighteen. Judith's mother is the lady who was so good to me when I found the Rows out when I went to see them before going to France.

Well dear give my usual love to all and box Phil's ears for me.

Jack