London 

18.10.18

Dear Cath:

Can you believe it – fourteen Canadian letters all at one time!! Yes sir, it’s true! I got 14 from the Record Office last eve. And they came in one big, officiano – looking envelope bearing the letters O.H.M.S. in big black tape which of course was quite in order considering the nature of the contents of said envelope. Naturally you may think I’ll have my hands full, answering this bunch of correspondence but it’s really not going to be such a big job after all. You see I’m dispensing of two of them right now. After dinner I intend writing to Whit – that will be six more accounted for. The remainder being of less importance I will answer them in due time at the rate of a couple or so a day by way of passing time when I have nothing else to do. Simple isn’t it?

I dare say you’ve often heard of the famous London fogs. Well there’s one hanging over the city now and I certainly can’t fancy it at all I’ve often thought I’d like to see one and now that my curiosity has been satisfied I want to see the end of it. It’s so thick you can’t see the building across the street, and as all the windows are open all the rooms here are full of fog and with the lights on it looks just like smoke. Gives you a sort of “headackey “feeling – if you know what that is. However fog or no fog I’m  going out for a walk this afternoon.

I’m glad to hear that you received Lawrence’s parcel. I know you would be pleased with the souvenirs. Lawrence showed me the things when he was getting the parcel ready to send and I know they are real nice. I’m beginning to wish now that I had gone in more souvenirs for I could have picked up any amount of them, that never bothered my head about the things. After two years in the line the only souvenirs I have today is a silver watch with  owner’s name engraved inside the back cover. (“Karl Asch” and a date – the day he got it I presume for it is a French watch, 7-jewel movement.)  When I was wounded I was carrying the dandiest automatic pistol, which I had removed from the person of a German machine gun corporal the day we chased Fritz across the Somme on the Amiens front (Aug. 8 I think it was) and I made up my mind that if I were wounded and still able to walk I’d bring that pistol along with me but when I was hit eventually, one of the men pulled off my equipment with the pistol attached and threw it to one side and I never thought about it again till I was half way to the dressing station. Was I mad?!!!  And I don’t’ think I’ll ever have the chance to get another for by the looks I think the war will be fini before I’m ready to take a hand in it again.

Oh by the way I don’t think I’ve told you the date of these last two letters of yours Sept 1 + 8th incase you’d like to know. Up to that time you apparently were not aware of the fact that I was out of the line, but if you haven’t the the news since,  just mention it in your next and I’ll cable it to you. 

Sat. Oct. 19

Well Cath you see I didn’t get this epistle finished yesterday as I intended. A sergeant major of an English regiment has become quite friendly with me and we’ve been going out together quite a bit lately. Well yesterday after dinner he wanted to take me over to a club that he knew of, for tea so as I didn’t like to refuse the letter had to wait. Quite an honor you know for an S.M. (especially if he’s an imperial) to go out walking with a lance jack (Perhaps if I twisted that around it would express my meaning more clearly. However, we went to the club, spent an enjoyable afternoon, had tea, sandwiches + cake, and landed back here just after six. The supper and to bed for we all have to be between the sheets by eight o’clock. 

Perhaps you would like to know how we carry-on here in hospital. Well in this ward there are sixty beds and all are full at night- about half full in the daytime. (the beds – not the patients. The ward sister is an old bear, but she’s one of those old maidish sort you know and of course they always are inclined to be cranky. I don’t think the nurses (4 in number and between 20 + 25 years each to make a rough guess) get along well with her at all + one gave up her job last week. At night there is a night sister and one nurse on duty. 

Well about 5:45 a.m. the night nurse comes around + wakes about a dozen of us by the simple experience of pinching our noses. Then she brings us each a cup of tea which is usually followed by a cigarette. Then we have to jump to it, get dressed, have a wash- up and serve breakfast to the bed patients, bring them water to wash in etc. Then we have breakfast ourselves in the dinning hall. After breakfast we make our own beds + help the nurses straighten up the house- sweep the floor, dust, empty the ash trays etc. etc.  My particular job is to polish the tables + chairs + clean the brass door knobs + electric light switches. From 9:30 till 10 a.m. I’m at the mercy of the massage sister downstairs having my arm rubbed and + pounded back into shape. From 10-12 we read, write or play checkers. Dinner is at 12 and after that we can do as we please till 7 p.m. Most of the boys of course go down town and I usually do the same thing. Oh, it’s a great life.

So you think teaching isn’t bad at all eh. That’s fine. You seemed to have landed a good school too. Hope the kids don’t give you too much trouble. If they were all to turn out to be little angels like I was when I left P.S. I dare say you’ll get along O.K. I often think about the rows I used to have with Miss Brechon and old Sandy Closs, and can’t help wondering how they ever stood it at all. 

And how about your car – has that little “stunt” of yours come off yet?  That’s a dandy idea all right, but I must say the Crawfords are getting to be quite sporty! Must be nice to have lots of money and  (a good job!!  Think I’ll have to go in for school teaching after the war, then maybe I’ll be able to go running around the country in a gasoline buggy too.

Say Cath I want to thank your dad very much for that kind offer of his but it’s not very clear to me just what is meant by that “additional offer” you mention. You say I can have all the tobacco I can smoke if I’ll come back before he packs about Easter. “ Does that mean “ all the tobacco I can smoke before he packs about Easter?  If the first interpretation applies I shall most certainly try to get home before Easter for then I’d be fixed for life as far as for as the tobacco question is concerned. I’m sure it will be good. At any rate Miss you’ve promised to teach me how to needle the stuff when I do get back and I’m going to hold you to your promise. Don’t forget that.

Well now Cath if I write much more I won’t be able to get the letter in the envelope. Might say in closing tho that my arm is improving rapidly and I expect to go to convalescent hospital at Orpington on Monday- my papers have been marked by the colonel at any rate.

I hope you won’t think me too sentimental if I just add a word of thanks for all your good wishes + prayers for my safety during all the months that have passes since I crossed the water. You know I’m a firm believer in those words of King Arthur “More things ~~ dreams of.”  And after what I’ve been through during the last 2 years I can’t help but think that in my case the prayers of those back home have been answered. And after all _ life is sweet.  Goodbye + best wishes

Yours- Les