Pte E Hearle 10916
9th Platoon C. Co
4th Batt. 1st Bgd
1st Canadian Court
Burtand Camp
Sulisbury Plains

Or Co War Office by the time this reaches you

Dear Mother,

I am afraid that I haven't written anything, but the scrappiest of letters lately and I am afraid this one must be pretty brief as lights out went long again and I am scribbling this by the somewhat - monkey light of our little oil stove.

This evening I enjoyed no end at the YMCA where thy had a swell go-as-you-please content as a send off to the fellows who one to go to the base at Tidworth The & unfit. Our main orchestra was a fellow ho could play the piano like one possessed; and an old soldier who loved his violin like a pal and who showed it the way eh coaxed the sweet clear notes from little brown chum He bad Indian frontier medals on, and was typical f the out & out gentlemanly - [?] loving Indian soldier.

The [?] was packed and yelled choruses in fine style we had violin solos first class songs and a bunch of crazy ragtime players from the third Battalion who fairly brought the house down. Altogether it would be hard to have a more enjoyable evening but I am afraid it will be one of the last this side of the water. Yes! I know that I've said that before - time and again but this time I really believe we shall get away before next Sunday- probably Tues or Wednesday. We have been issued with the new Webb equipment which is far easier then the oliner. Although it weighs between 60 & 70 lbs when all the ammunition 150 rounds in on. In the pack we carry our overcoat suit of underwear, shirt, socks hold ale, housewife, soap towel canteen & knife fork teaspoon. So we are regular pack mules when loaded up. I have a photo of me in heavy marking order now being developed.

We have been medically examined again, and our rifles and equipment thoroughly overhauled and are now ready packed waiting to move out at any time. I have sent loads of surplus kit to the [?] who will send it whenever I want out to me as the old stuff wears out. You cannot imagine how good they have been to me. Every three or 4 days they send a big box of pork pies or cake which has made all the difference to the fellows in our tent as it relieves the monotony of skilly, bread & yam & cheese. I don't deserve and am not worth all the kindness they have shown me, and don't know how to thank them enough for it, and grammy has been awfully good to me well good night write my next from France maybe.

Eric