Shorncliffe, Kent, England June 14, 1915
My dear brother,
Just a few lines to let you know we all arrived safely. We left Calgary May 12th and got into Plymouth 16 days later. We left Quebec on the Monday and were 11 days on the water in the SS Carpathia. We had a lovely voyage, very mild and fairly warm. We had to wear our life belts nearly all the way over everywhere we went. They were afraid of submarines and the last 5 days there were 4 from each company on launch and also 4 machine guns mounted fore and aft looking for periscopes which, I am thankful to say, we never saw although there was a freighter sunk 20 miles from us near the Eddystone Lighthouse. We got her wireless for help but a cruiser got it as well and coming up told our captain to beat it which he did PDQ. Anyway we were glad to see land again and believe me it sure looked good. It was all lovely and green. It sure is a pretty place all round the coast of Devon and Plymouth. We got in there Friday pm and left Saturday morning at 7:30 am for this place here, Shorncliffe, in the south of Kent. We touched the outskirts of London and got in here about 9:30pm. We are under canvas. It is a fairly decent place. A few small villages around here. The coast just 15 minutes walk. Dover is 12 miles away. The French coast is quite visible (Calais). Folkestone is about the largest place. I guess it is a watering place in good times. They sure charge prices. Two shillings for a Ham and Egg supper! Talk about Canada. It isn't it. This is quite a camp here. About 12 battalions around here and the hospitals as well are filled up - French, Belgian and Canadian. There are some pitiful sights, believe me. The remains of the Princess Pats are here, only 100 of the original bunch which left Canada. Out of the 10th division there are only a few hundred of them left. They are going over one week and back wounded the next week and believe me they are well pleased to get wounded for they say it is pure hell over there. I guess we will be here anyway for a few months. Anyway we require that amount of time, if we are lucky enough to get it. All our officers are away having instruction in musketry and bayonet fighting by Imperial Army instructors. So we will know the right way of things in the future. Nearly all the way up from Plymouth there are troops in training in small groups. We see lots of aeroplanes, biplanes etc around here. Cruisers. Destroyers Submarines. I didn't see Annie on my way down. I wired her but just didn't know what time we would come through Ottawa. So we missed each other. We were only there a few minutes and she was in an awful way over it. Poor girl! I guess I'll go up home the end of this month. We get 6 days off so that isn't quite so bad. I guess I'll quit for this time. Hope to hear from you soon. My regards to them all. My address is below.
Your affectionate brother Mac Pte. Wm. MacKinnon, #80045 "B" Coy., 31st Battalion, 6th Infantry Brigade Shorncliffe Camp, England