Ward G.
Canadian Milit. Hospital
Kirkdale, Liverpool
Nov. 30, '17

My Dear Lulu

This is the last day of November; Xmas will be upon us soon I suppose. You will be preparing for a happy time, just as everywhere people are trying to be happy. What a good thing it is that we have such days when everyone alike tries to forget the burdens & sorrows of life & determine to be happy for one day anyhow.

This morning I went down to the office to see how my case was progressing, & find things are pretty much as before. Warrington does not reply to the letters about my lost "Medical History Sheet", & so they are applying for permission from the Records Office to make one up. In the meantime I am lengthening out that Medical History splendidly.

The hospital is filling us rapidly - I keep meeting old numbers of old 209th who are dribbling back to Canada. I suppose there are not many unwounded men still in the line, though many will have returned as 'Casuals' as they are known here. I am enclosing an interesting old letter I had from one of the men who wrote also after he was wounded - the one I sent to you (That is a shocking sentence, isn't it Lulu?)

Well I got two of Sam Brown's watercolors & am a fitting inmate of a workhouse. This life reminds me of college around March; everyone is in state of brokenness. We borrow from one another until all are broken alike. I have devised a magnificent scheme & could work out fine if my pride allowed me. You see the Pay-master is one of hard-fisted variety, & a most uncivil one at that, so I am borrowing money from Capt. Melvin & paying him back in the form of a cheque which he in turn sends to his wife in Winnipeg instead of ready money. A great scheme to beat the army authorities eh?

This afternoon I think I shall go down to New Brighton. You see I can cross the Musey on the Ferryboat - free, & can get a free lunch there. All because I am a wounded soldier. Could you have better proof of my proficiency as a professional hobo? If the trains were only like Canadian trains I might 'beat' my way to Manchester. To such depth has the 'Methodist Preacher' fallen. Everything seems to be just fun now, & the hardest experience has to be treated as a joke. Will you have to disown me when I come back Lulu.

I shall write again, Lulu dear in about two or three days.

With best love

Yours

Tom