London,  25.10.18

Dear Cath:

I haven’t heard from you this week but I’m going to drop a line or two, first of all to remind you that I am still above ground ground and also to give you a few items of news which may be interesting. You may be surprised to see that I am still in the “smoke” – I know I am for I’ve been expecting to go every day for a week.  Was marked for transfer to Orpington on the 19th but for some reason it was cancelled and I’ve been hanging on here ever since. There is a regular epidemic of “flu” (Spanish influenza correspoding to la grippe in Can.)  in the city and there are scores of cases here in hosp. That may have something to do with my transfer for they seem to think the thing is infectious.  Tho’ as you know its not at all serious.  It ran thru France this summer when the German drive was on + three battalions of our brigade (the 3rd) were quarantined at the same time ours being the only one out of quarantine. About 50%of our boys had a touch of it too. According to re3ports the Bosche was affected with the flu at the same time or things would have been serious as the whole army was affected. 

Well now for some real news. Yesterday (Thursday), just before dinner, a former 134th batt. Man who spent some time in my company the 15th in France + who is now working in the Can. Records office here, dropped in to see me. I remember quite well when I saw him but had almost forgotten  all about him for I had never heard what had become of him after the scrape on Vimy Ridge last year. Well, he ran across my address etc, while going thru some of the records last week _ at once phoned up but I happened to be out at at the time. So,  yesterday as I have already said, he called around. Well this fellow, Milliken, told me a great friend of his whom I knew very well + liked very much was at Epson Can. Hospital and asked me if I could take a run out after dinner so I said “yes”  You see it is a fine bus ride (hour + a half) and besides that I was anxious to see Murray. So away we went. Well Murray was not in his hut when we reached it so we started looking round the camp for him and lo! + behold!, about the 1st fellow we ran across was _  Lawrence Vannan if you please. Yep, it was him sure enuf, big as life and wearing the same old smile. He was wounded the same day as I – got a piece of shrapnel in his shoulder- but see him now you won’t know there had been anything the matter with him. To tell you the truth I was as tickled as a kid with a new toy, to see him again for Ihave taken quite a fancy to him. He’s a square level headed chap if ever there was one + I’m pleased to say we’re good friends. Lawrence’s brother is at Epson too but I didn’t meet him. Lawrence asked me to send kind regards to you people if I happened to be writing. He doesn’t know at present when he will be leaving Epson but if he sticks around there for three or four weeks I’ll probably be with hims again.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going out for tea (Oh, yes, I’ve got the invitation). You see Milliken is engaged to a girl her non London + she has invited the 3 of us (Murray, myself + her fiance`) in to tea so I’ve agreed to go if I’m still in London.  Expect to have a decent time for I hear they are very nice people and she (I forget her name except that the first part of it is “Vi- “  – that’s all you can hear when Milliken gets started ) wants us to come early.

I don’t know whether you’ve ever heard of the Priestley’s in Bradford or not, but they are friends of the folks at home and mother, + dad, + Whit visited at there place when they  were in England a few years ago. Well Mr Priestly sent me the address of his brother-in-law (I think that’s what he is anyway tho’ I’m not sure) who comes from Welland and is a Canadian Y.M.C.A. officer. Well I dropped in at his office last Monday + made his acquaintance. He’s a real nice fellow- in the course of our conversation he began telling me all about the “Khaki Club” of which I had never heard before. It is really a college for Can. soldiers run bye the Y.M.C.A.  They have branches in all the large camps + hosp. Centres in Eng. + give regular university training in any subject a fellow wishes to take up. And what’s more, these courses are recognized by the Can. universities so that if a man puts in a year at a Khaki College here (night classes only of course) he is allowed the years standing if he wishes to carry on his studies when he gets back. It’s certainly a grand thing and as soon as I get settled down here + think there’s no danger of being moved at short notice I’m going to get full details regarding it. I don’t know whether I ever told you or not, but for years now electrical engineering has been my chief Ian in like and I haven’t given up hopes of making it yet providing I get back to it before my hair turns grey. So you see if I start putting in a few hours each night under na qualified instructor on the subject it will be time well spent. This fellow Milliken is studying electricity at the Khaki College here in London and he says the course is splendid. But I hope to have the opportunity of judging for myself. 

Well I guess that’s about all the news now but for the love of Mike drop us a line- haven’t had a single word since Sept 8th and we’ll soon be into Nov.  By the way have you seen anything of Bobier yet?  I understand he left for Can. last month so he ought to be home now. Kind regards to all.   ~Les

P.S. – S’pose I should be using pen + ink, but I prefer the pencil. Can you make it out?