Sapper H.L. Irwin #2339
Can Engineers
c/o Can Ordnance Cop.
Ashford.

Jan 1st 1916

My Dearest Mother

I have not rec any mail from you this week yet, or have not rec the parcel you sent, I guess it must have been lost, But it might come on Tuesdays mail, I will wait & see;

Will Mother I am feeling very good now & very Happy as Florence is coming down today on 330 train, so I will have her with me now untell I get sent to France, we have got nice lettle rooms to live in with a very old couple, so we will be comfortable and might as will say we will have house to our selves nearly all the time, & they [?] in kitchen all the time, Gee Mother I do love my lettle wife, & could not live without her now, and tonight I will have her with me for first time alone,

Say Mother I was thinking about money insted of the $15 going to you strait & you sending it Back why not you send a letter to me [?] to head Pay Master Saying you wished to have the $15 sent strait to Mrs H.L. Irwin, Ashford. & then I would send it strait to pay master telling him to do so, that would save a lot of trouble, & save you sending money away back here every month., And Florence would get it much sooner too, as the Poor lettle girl worrys a lot & that $15 is all she has got to live on untell I return to Canada, Write it something like this Mother, To head Pay Master of Canadians over sea force,

Dear Sir, would you kindly pay strait to Mrs H.L. Irwin Ashford. Kent. England. $15 of my sons asyned pay as I wish her to have that amount; if you will kindly obliege I will thank you kindly

I remain yours. Mrs. A. L. Irwin, and Mother you can eather send it strait to head pay office Ottawa or to me, just as you like, and I think it would be much better & same trouble too, and it is all my Little Wife has to depend on now, & if any thing happens that she does not get that each month she will have to sleep on streets,

Will Mother I am stell at Ashford working and am going to stay here now, sense I have got Florence down to keep me company, and will not got to get shot untell I have to I don’t intend to go untell next summer any way, or maybe not untell summer fallowing, But I expect to be back to Vancouver in 1920 any way, that is the year the war will be over, I guess you want me to come back to Vancouver some day don’t you with my Wife or have you dissownd me for geting married so soon, Hop not any way

Will I must close & go and meet Florence as it is now 3 P.M. and she will be here at 330, we will both write you next week, with Both your sons & daughters love. I will always remain your loving son Harold