Seilles Belgium

March 3rd 1919

Dear Mother:

Wrote a letter to Isabel Feb 20th which was about the last letter of news to any of you. Mailed a couple of postcards of Waterloo when I was visiting the famous battlefield, and as there were supposed to be postmarked "Waterloo" though it might be interesting. On Feb 21st I went to movies in Ardennes. In Sunday 23rd Church service as the only place I attended. On the 26th I left for Brussels on three day pass at 7 A M Arrived in [?] at 8 A M and stopped there for a train to Brussels until 1.30 in the afternoon. Happened to meet a fellow from Edmon I used to know well. I had also seen him in Bonn Germany but could not place him at all. This time however, his name came to me at once and I had quite a talk with him.

Had a very good hotel to stop at in Brussels, and also the YMCA was a great help in making the visit there interesting. They also provided beds if you wanted them and plain meals very reasonable. Meals were very expensive there unless you know a good place to get them. It is a very nice city, well laid out with good streets and electric cars in all directions. I visited the Botanical Gardens, Palace of Justice and Art Galleries. One night I sent to a vaudeville show much similar to what we see in Canada. And another night to a Picture Show. It took most of a day to visit Waterloo as it is about 10 miles outside Brussels. Visited several monuments and also a wonderful painting of the Battle which was alone worth the trip. Also saw the ruins of a Chateau which the British defended. It was set on fire by shells from the French Guns. Enclose a postcard of a large mount of earth taken from the battlefield with a monument on the top of it.

Also enclose a book of views of Brussels which are interesting. Returned home on March 1st and in changing in [?] I left my haversack in the train with Razor, brushes & cleaning equipment, and returning for it a few minutes later it was gone. Sorry to lose it, as it is a hard to replace.
A registered letter I sent Eliz with 80 Francs last November has just been returned stating they could not deliver it. Thought it had gone for good.
Yesterday was our last service by our Padre. He is leaving to return to B.C.

Do not expect I will get a visit to Eliz as it is a little to far from here and it would be hard to arrange anyway. Expect she is on leave herself now.

[?] believe all the rumors your hear about our return as it is going to take a little while yet. Will be lucky to get back in May, although there is a possibility I might get there about the end of April, but hardly likely. Last week public meetings were banned on account of "Flu" but it is lifted now. It may delay our return but I hope not anyway. You will know a couple of days ahead when I will be coming as I understand all names are wired to the different places as soon as the boat reaches Halifax.

Will have to see Smith in Edmon when I get back, as he is not paying up the rent. I do not understand why isn't doing better.

WE have turned over our guns now and the ammunition went away today, so we will not have them to look after any more.

Tomorrow about 50 of us go to [?] to do 48 hours guard on barges in the canal there. It is not a hard guard as the hours are easy. Get two days off after that.

Have had a couple of lectures today and yesterday on Canada and what the soldiers are to do when they return.

Think this is about all the news at present. Have no word of when we leave here. The weather has been quite mild with a little rain.

Write as usual, and with love to all

I remain
Rob