Wednesday 12 noon
291494 C. Coy 19th Reserve Battn
C.E.F. Army Post Office
London - Eng - 17/1/17

My Dear Betty:-

Your very welcome letter (No 20) just to hand I have not received No's 16 or 19 but they may turn up later. Tell me how many picture post cards you have received, up to date I have sent views of Shoreham - two lots of London (one set of the Tower) & veiws of Seaford, I do hope you are getting them all also my letters, I have also sent a big picture of the 222nd Battn taken just before we left for overseas. I am still on the sick list & shall be I guess the remainder of this week, the cold seemed to settle in my back, however I shall be quite alright in a day or two.

About the money - the reason that I asked you to raise money on the Insurance was, that I do not want you to leave yourself short, you ought always to have a little by you. I do not know when the commission will come through, in fact I shall not be sure of it until I get it, & shall not be disappointed if it fails to materialize. However as yet I am in the Officer's Training School (preparatory) & the result is on the knees of the Gods, anyway dear if you can you had better send me some money right away so that I shall be prepared for any emergency, it will do no harm to have a little in hand here, just send $ 100, & I'll make do, (if it is needed) I don't want you to leave yourself short, I'd rather give up all thought of the commission than have you do that dear. Mr. Kennedy is very good & am glad you have a man like that to turn to for advice, you can trust him to the limit, he will arrange it for you - I might say that there is a branch of Lloyd Bank in Seaford, so that a draft on that would be alright.

We are having all kinds of weather here - everything is kept damp & soaking give me a Canadian Winter in preference to this. About parcels you will know by this that I have received your parcel in good shape, the toffee had softened into one lump, but otherwise everything was fine, & the boys enjoyed its contents with me - we always share up! About socks dear, when you have sent those you have on hand I would not bother anymore for a-while, I have all those I brought with me yet in good condition I am keeping them darned. Yes I think you are wise in regard to Gunns, you can still be friendly with them & yet independent of them, we don't want our kiddies to be an annoyance to anyone, & we won't have anyone running on them. I suppose they are (my girlie & boy) having lots of fun with their sleigh these days, I am wondering if they will forget me before I get back, it will be a few months I'm afraid, at the earliest before we get back to the homeland. We'll certainly appreciate it more when we do get there, it looks now as though it is going to be a fight to a finish & perhaps it is better to have it that way though one shudders to think of the sacrifice yet to be made. I suppose by the time you receive this your Mother will have returned home, it has been nine for you to have her with you - I am afraid however what you will be overdoing yourself having Mattie there for so long- you know dear you must think of yourself a little. I am hoping that Mattie will soon be better for Hal & the children's sake as well as her own its too bad about Inez, but we cannot do anything, its up to them. Was interested in hearing of your Xmas doings you had a busy time dear, as you will have heard by now, I spent a good part of my Xmas day traveling. Let me know how Billy likes his tools & what he is doing with them. I look forward so much to your letters, they are the only ones I receive from Canada, & perhaps its as well, for it means more time to write to you dear.

Will say good-bye for now - Remember me to Mattie & the Gunns kisses hugs & fondest love for yourself & he dear kiddies God bless & keep you dear

Your loving husband
Will

P.S. I sent a photo in last letter, the sergt sitting me is "snead" the one standing behind me "McCord" & the other sergt major Mason.