Dear Mum, Dad & Jack:

Here I am again back in camp and it is not the nicest thing in the world but all good things have to come to an end I guess…. The Scottish people were really swell and it seems they can’t do enough to make things the best for us. It is no wonder why all the Canadian boys go to Scotland on leave. They are way ahead of the English when it comes to helping the boys in the services.  The Legion is really nice and we eat dinner and supper there and the meals were swell. They only cost one shilling and four pence, which is about thirty-five cents. We got our uniforms pressed, hair cut and everything we wanted done at the Legion and the women and men who run it were swell. There was Coke there, the first I’ve seen since I left Canada and boy I made up for lost time. I lost count of the number I drank the first day and it was sure good. The other fellows can have the pubs just give me my Coke.

The woman of the house where I stayed was really swell to us, she tried to make it as much like home as possible. She sure has had her share of trouble too, she lost her husband in the merchant navy, one son a prisoner in Italy, another one killed just recently in a truck accident and her youngest son is home with her…. We had breakfast in bed every morning and that is something new to us….

I should have gone to Ayr but when I saw part of Edinburgh I couldn’t leave until I saw it all. Maybe if I am lucky enough to get another leave I will certainly go there. I saw all the interesting sights there during my stay and I sure enjoyed it. I wish you folks could see the place.  I sent postcards to nearly everyone I could think of and I sent a book of the place I saw to you folks…. I also got some Scotch heather to send to you…. It is the white heather and is getting real scarce….

One good part of coming back is that there is a lot of mail…I also got Dad’s and Grandpa’s cigs and they were sure good to see. I didn’t have any on leave but have six hundred now. Will you please thank them both Mum just in case they don’t read this and believe me they were lifesavers….

We came back to early too suit me, tomorrow we go out on scheme again and I believe we will be away five days. I will take some of these forms with me and write whenever I get the chance….

While I was in Edinburgh I saw them doing the real Highland Fling and the Sword dance and the pipers all dressed as they should be. I also saw the changing of the guard at the Castle and it was swell. The pipers and everyone were there, I can’t describe to you how interesting it was and I really had a swell time. However, I will take my leaves at home if I can and there is no other place I have seen that can compare with good old Pictou Co. and certain people in it. I hope by this time you are all better and feeling fine Mum so take good care of yourself, that is an order. When you send the next box please include a couple of face cloths Mum.

We are sure doing fine in the war now, let’s hope it keeps up. Maybe it won’t be so long until we are back on good old Canadian soil again, boy do I hope so.…

Hope you all are in the best of health and hope to see you soon.

Lots of Love,

Bill