May 22, 1943
Elkins Barracks
Halifax, N.S.

Dear Mom:

Your letter arrived Tuesday along with Shirley's and one from Barbara. It sure was welcome I am going to try and answer all the questions and what not in the letter.

To start with you mentioned the piece of cake you sent me. There is a story connected with that now. The package arrived the day before I left so I thought I would keep the cake to eat on the train that part was all right. I put in my kit bag and when we got to the station we checked the kit bags to Edmonton. That was all right I could get the cake in Edmonton but it turned out we didn't see the kit bags until we got to Halifax. So when we arrived in Halifax we ate the cake in the station. It was still fresh and what surprised me most, it wasn't squashed.

I was sorry that we were on the C.N.R. as I would liked to have seen Gram & B[erna], and the others in Kenora.

I will look up Sister Church the first time that I go into Halifax again.

I am not in the drivers any more but I wish that I were. If I had stayed I would not have been driving a jeep it would have been a truck that tows the guns.

You were wondering about "Gunner" on my address well everybody in the artillery is called a gunner instead of private. That badge on my arm that Shirley found is a badge with GS marked on it. It is only worn by the fellows on "Active Service" not the reserves. It stands for general service. If you look you will see them on the fellows around town they are worn on the left sleeve.

I am very pleased to here that we have a chesterfield at home now. The old place must look pretty classie now. I am looking forward to seeing it when I get there.

Shirley wanted to know in her letter if I was wearing a cord too. The cord can be worn if you want to wear them but not on parade they are for dress only. I have one that I wear once in a while you don't get much of a chance to wear them.

I went into Halifax last week end and I don't think much of the place. It is about the dirtiest place I have seen for a long time. I don't think they have any street cleaners in the place.

You know what the street cars in Victoria are like the small ones I mean well all the cars here are like that and what a system the cars seem to go when they are ready. They go like hell for a few blocks then stop at a stop light and sit there while it changes 3 or 4 times.

We went out to a park in them last Sunday afternoon. I don't think much of their park. It is very nice in spots, very few spots, on a whole it is quite rocky ground. The whole place is something like the ground and trails around Lynn Valley. There is a dance hall in the park. The fellows say when it opens for the summer it is quite a place. (It opened Wed. night). I don't think I will learn to dance around here. That is not at any of the places that I have heard of so far.

There are quite a bunch of service clubs in town. The boys all seem to make good use of them as they are packed all the time.

Well did Pat get the letter I sent her you didn't mention it.

I have a couple of rolls of film to be developed. I will send you some snaps when I get them.

I will close for now but will write again soon.
Love to all
Ted