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Date: March 29th 1916
To
Mother
From
Harold Irwin
Letter

Sapper H.L. Irwin #2339. C. E.
c/o Can Ordnance
Ashford.
Kent

March 29th 16

My Dearest Mother

I rec three letters from you sense I wrote you last, I rec the $15 00 you sent on the 29th of Feb all O.K. also the letter with the gum in I rec today & another letter I rec on the first of the week But I guess all the mail has been tied up at Portsmouth, But every thing is all O.K. now, I have not rec the parcel as yet, But maybe it will come next week, I am geting my money all O.K. now. so am geting on very good, Florence was up home for a fue days. But is back again with me now: Gee I was so lonesome for her all the time she was away, and am so glad she is back again, we are very happy together yet, and I always will be happy with her, although I am very sorry about the child, But its for better or worse,

Well  Mother I am stell in Ashford and think I will be here untell end of war, But I will know for sure next month, I think I will be transfeard in to Ordnance untell end of war, But dont know for sure untell the 3rd of April,

The Ordnance has put in for transfer for me,. But not sure if it will go through or no, But if I do I will stay here untell the war is over, I am trying to get it, so will not go to front unless I have to, and I dont think I will have to,

But if I transfere it will start from the 3 of April, so will see then, But it all depend on old Col Harkam if he will sign the transfere or not, I am stell running engine, and the same old easy job.

The weather has been very funny here of late, some days it is lovely & warm & other days it is raining or snowing, Last night we where out for a lettle walk and before we got home a blizzard came up raining snowing & Blowing, we could hardly get home at all. we could not face it, and this morning the sun was shining lovely & tonight it is a lovely evening out, we where for a lettle walk after tea, and now we are both writing,

Well Mother I think the war will end in about three months time, But you never can tell, it might go on for a year yet, But my opinion is that it will end in about three months, Hope so any way, But dont know what I am going to do if I do go back, I guess there is no jobs just now, & it will be worse when all the boys go back. so if you see a good job put a word in for me,

This is all for now as there is no news, we are both very well, both got a cold, But I guess every one has a cold just now, Hoping you are all well. you can send all My mail to Ashford, I expect to be here untell end of war, just put Sapper H.L.Irwin #2339. C.E. c/o Can Ordnance Ashford Kent England, that will get me all O.K. And with all our Love as ever, I am as ever your Loving Son Harold

Dearest Mother,

I guess Harold has told you all the news, we don’t get much down here. I have only just got back from London. I went up to help Mother as my sister Lottie was very ill, doctor didn’t expect her to live. She isn’t 16 yet & suffers with a very bad heart & there is only Mother & the kiddies at home & we haven’t telephones installed like you have & every thing has to be fetched especially nowadays when we have no one left to deliver things So I really had to go up & help. It was a nice change to be home again & you bet I had a good tuck in. There is no food like what one gets at home. Harold says he doesn’t see what time I had to do any thing else when I had 5 meals a day. But Lottie is all well & about again now so I am back here. The weather was very bad up there, so I didn’t get much chance to get around. I should have liked to have stopped a few days longer to have said Hello! to the shops etc. but this big baby down here was so awful lonesome all alone that I had to come back. We have had some awful blizzards this week, but is getting fine again now. Harold forgot to mention that he doesn’t think he will be needing any thin under–wear expecially just now but it was very kind of you to think of it. Well, I don’t think I can find any more to say tonight so will close with best Love &

remain your affectionate daughter

Florence

P.S.

Say Mother you say it costs you 28¢ to send money order. Why not send money insted as it is registerd it will be all OK and I can get it changed over here just as good, and it is great fun to get Canadian money, it is better then gold, Dad send me a $1 00 Bill for a souvenir, I was just like a kid with a new toy, to get a real Canadian Dollar, one fellow at shop ofered me $1 50 for it as soon as he seen it, so it would be lots more fun to get the real Canadian money, But just do as you think best

Lovingly Harold

Original Scans

Original Scans

Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.01 Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.02 Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.03 Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.04 Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.05 Irwin.Harold.letter.1916.03.29.envelope