Room 205, Marlborough Hotel.
Sept. 15/39.

Dear Peter –

Yesterday was the big day, when I became a member of His Majesty’s forces, acquiring the appalling title of Lieutenant in No. 5 General Hospital unit, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, Canadian Active Service Force. Which fortunately shortens down to R.C.A.M.C. C.A.S.F.

Lieut.-Col. Lennox Arthur, who will be my Commanding Officer, called for me at 9 a.m. and took me to the barracks to be “boarded”. One has no secrecy or privacy in the army, and you are initiated by removing all clothing, and parading in the nude with several others before a medical board. Three examiners looked over every square millimetre of surface, inquired very minutely into past history, inspected all orifices, then put me through a series of gyrations to demonstrate all joints. I was carefully weighed, measured, and then subjected to a detailed eye and ear check-up. Even two small pet moles were recorded. It is an extremely stiff examination and I was pleased to receive the A rating. The next move was to have about ten forms filled in. From the questions, I gather this is a real man’s army. They asked the number of children (to be answered whether single or married), also if a woman is being kept, or if there is a common-law wife.

An order to suspend mobilization of medical units came through two days before I arrived, in fact right after they wired me. However my name was already slated and I have my papers dated September 9^th, from which date I will be paid. Tell Harvey there is no chance whatever for him to join at the present. The rate of pay is $5⁰⁰ a day plus $1²⁰ living allowance. This gives me slightly over $200⁰⁰ a month, so I will continue living in the Marlborough. I will receive $150⁰⁰ clothing allowance, and another $100⁰⁰  when we move overseas. No one knows when we will leave here. There is a possibility we may be trained here for three months. I was measured for uniforms, shirts, Sam Brown, great coat, etc yesterday, and will be in uniform next week.

To-day Colonel Fred Young marched me off to be trained for presiding over Medical Boards. I have been reading military regulations till I am dizzy. Tomorrow we will be started off in military law. We had a working over to‑day on saluting, who and when we salute, who salutes us, whom to call “sir” etc. I know I will not be very fond of this sort of stuff, prefering to tell some of them to go to hell, but it has got to be done, so I will make a good stab at doing it right. We have no drill to do, so I am damned lucky.

I would prefer to be on a medical board to doing sick parade duty (which consists chiefly of treating blistered feet).

This Hospital unit includes nurses and a complete staff sufficient to run a 600 bed hospital. We will obviously, then, be placed in some large base. Some of the men in our unit are M.R. MacCharles, Cec Clark, Roy Richardson, Charles Walton, Jack Tedford, and Bobby Black.

September 17^th
I spent yesterday (Saturday) checking over nurses application forms and examinations. There is a tremendous amount of red tape. My hours are apparently from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Sundays off. There is no reason why I should not put on weight. Last night I was orderly officer – on call till 9 o’clock this morning. This call occurs every three nights, but doesn’t mean any more than I must be near a phone in case the guards have to call about anything. I don’t know what they could call about, unless someone broke into the barracks.

The HBM&S office sent up the wrist watch from Baldy Green. It is a beauty, waterproof, magnetic proof, radium dial, large second hand, gun-metal case, and strap to match the uniform.

I will do a lot of medical reading in the next few weeks and have access to any books that I want.

I hope you are not too busy. It is impossible for me to leave here to help out when Percy leaves.

Mother received her fur coat and was very proud of it. I enjoyed the visit with them here in the city better than I would have at home.

It is just possible that an examining board may be set up in Flin Flon, and if so I will be sent up for a week in charge of it. Henry Bowie and Bob Baer are already in uniform. Bob will be considerably slowed down by army discipline and $1³⁰ a day’s pay.

J.D. McMartin was in the room next to me, and will be able to tell you something of the set-up here.

I will write again in a week and will shortly be able to send you a picture of myself in uniform.

Best regards to Mrs Guttormsson and the staff.

Yours, as always
Carl