B Company, 32 Batt,
Risboro Camp,
Shorncliffe, England

Early August 1915

Dear Bro & Sister,

Your most welcome letter to hand which I received the other day.

Well I tell you I was mighty glad to hear from you both has the two letters came the same day. Now I will tell you a little of my experience since we left Sewell camp. It was 4 o clock in the morning on July the first, and we stayed at a place called Smiths Falls just west of Ottawa for one day & we had a dandy time, left there on July 4th two o'clock in the afternoon & arrived in Montreal at 5 pm. Walked right of the train and onto the boat that was waiting for us & believe me she was some boat. Only weighed 3,000 tons & there was 500 troops on her & 700 horses, 4,000 tons of ammunitions on, also R. Borden's & Sam Hughes motor cars on. So you can just imagine how we were packed. We slept in hammocks in a room 35 X 100 & packed like fish. Well we left Montreal on the 6th July had a fine trip down the St Lawrence stopped at a place called Louisberg for coal & they took us for a swim but the town wasn't up to much. The fish were growing on trees so you could easy tell you was in Nova Scotia.

Well we left there on July 7th to go across the pond and the weather was fine until the last two days when we got in the war zone. They put an extra guard on & I was one of them. I was on from 7 pm until 7 am on the front of the ship all alone. I tell you it was some job, hissing and blowing like blazes & wet through to the skin. Looking for submarines and every time it lightened I could swear I saw one, of course I answered the mate on the bridge every half hour saying all's well but I don't know whether it was or not, as the subs might have been chasing us. I didn't give a D--- has I was so mad I thought to myself lots of times to H--- with the army. But it was only for 2 nights. We never saw a sub so I think we were pretty lucky has we didn't have any escort until we sighted land. The converted cruiser Calgarian came to meet us as we didn't know where the mines were laid. We got into Plymouth 10 o'clock Saturday July 15th and came right on to Shorncliffe by train.

We are living in tin huts, 40 men in each so we sure have a fine time together, good place to sleep & good grub & we can go down to a place called Folkstone at night. It is only 1 mile but there's much to see, all the soldiers, all the second contingent is here yet altogether there is about 45,000 Canadians in England. They are sending drafts of 250 men at a time from third contingent to reinforce the first.

I went to see Gerald & Austin Cann & C. Johnson & all the other boys in the second contingent. They are in the 28th Batt from Winnipeg. They were sure surprised to see me. They are looking fine. Have been out with Gerald two or three times but they have moved their camp to Otterpool. He said they wouldn't be away for 6 weeks yet I always thought we would be at the front before them.

Well I have had my leave & sure had a fine time. Went to Leicester for four days. Stayed at sister Nems place. Went out with Ida & Grace every night to the Palace & picture shows. Then went to Rugby for a day & took Nem with me. Had a fine time but it wasn't long enough. They wanted us to stay overnight but I couldn't see my way clear so had to go back to Leicester the same day. Then I left Leicester the next day for London to stay my last day with Mr. Pratt and the girls. You know Harry Pratt's father & believe me I sure had a fine time. I took some photos of them while I was there so I am sending you some. You will notice Bill Greenfield on one of them. He was staying with his aunt in the next street. I am having some big photos taken tomorrow so I will send you one before we leave as we are leaving for the front by the first of Sept.

We are going to reinforce the little black devils from Winnipeg. They are in the 8th Batt so we will have some name to keep up & I guess we can do it by now as we have been training long enough.

I see by the paper that the Australians are doing some fine work in the Dardanelles. I think England would stand a poor chance if it wasn't for the Colonials.

The Canadians haven't been in much fighting since June but they have been filling the Battalions up to strength again. They will be taking another smack at them before Sept is out so we can figure on spending this winter in Flanders. Oh you mud & snow. They are going to give us top boots for the winter instead of puttees.

Well I wrote to Ma last night & she said she is feeling fine now. I got a letter from her about four days ago & I write to her every week. So you see I keep her well posted & all the rest of them in Moose Jaw. She told me in her last letter that old Buster was dead, poor old fellow. I thought I would get another look at him before he died.

Now my dears about the cigarettes you want to send me which I would like very much. But I was thinking by the time they got here they would be smashed to pieces. But if you do, send them to Shorncliffe address then they will send them to me. I will send you a word or two when I get there but has far as taking a wife back with me to Moose Jaw I haven't saw one to suit me yet so will have to let it go until I get back.

Well my little dears I don't think there is any more to say this time. You must excuse the scribble has we have no writing desk.

Well good bye with best wishes from Bro Sid

PS - Will spend my 22nd birthday in Flanders bur ur ur ur