Bramshott
Hants Eng
July 7/16

Dear Old Dad,

It is rather surprising to find you have not written me since I left almost two months ago. I know you are working hard and all that and they tell me you are not feeling well. I am awfully sorry to hear it. Please write and tell me of anything I can do to help out. When I got here the old idea of cheap living in the Old Country were simply knocked sky high and never came down. Butter eggs bread matches meat tobacco in fact everything is just as dear here now as they are in Canada if not more so. In fact we have had to raise our Mess dues to keep pace with our expenses and we are now paying $30 a month for our board. But you can bet that I am sailing close to the wind and saving every cent I can get so I expect in the very near future that I shall have fully paid for everything have had to buy to complete our equipment such as sleeping bags, a new uniform, boots, field glasses, compass, map case, eating equipment & boots are very expensive and of poor quality. One pair I bot 2 weeks ago at 30 shillings are almost gone already. But I mean to send them back.

I got a letter from Ethel yesterday posted on June 17th in which she gave me lots of news and mentioned a parcel she was sending but it has not come yet.

Jack Donnolly is here at Bramshott with the 11th Field Ambulance and the 4th Stationary Hospital came in early last week with a lot of Winnipeg People I know. But I have only seen Col. Mitchells son.

You probably know that I was on a bombing course and got into a row with the Brigade Bombing Officer which I immediately reported to the O.C. and asked to be returned to duty. So I am now back on "Parade" digging trenches to-day. Last night from 10 to 1 I was out on a route march in a drizzling rain. The other half of the Battalion goes out to-night for three hours but no rain. It was so dark sometimes under the trees that you could not see your hand. Our advance guard got lost but came in about 90 minutes later. Tell Ethel I am going to write Mrs. Lynn & Miss Enouy. But it is awfully hard writing so many people the same things over and over for there is really nothing interesting except our training and that is somewhat uninteresting to others. But it may be to you too. We parade at 8 am and march through wild scenery to Ludshott Common about 2 miles where we do Bayonet Fighting, Entrenching Bombing, and field Maneuvers all day taking a sandwich and a bottle of ginger for our noon lunch. The men were grumbling a lot when we first got here but are as hard as nails now and since we have not been really working hard as we did in Can they are getting more satisfied. We sure have a great Battalion and we are all as proud as peacocks of it.

Yours with love- to all
Gordon