Dear Mum, Dad and Jack:

Back in the groove again, had an airmail from you, the ones written on the 1st and 4th of July. It was sure good to get them again….

Glad you know I am in the Second Division and the Essex Scottish Regiment. If you read anything about the Second Division you will know that includes me. I would like to send you one of our pins and flash but they are darn hard to get maybe if you enquire they may have some in town but I doubt it. It is a real big badge with a shield and Semper Paratus (Always Ready) on it.

Yes there are a lot of boys in Canada who won’t sign active but now they had better stay there. The boys over here will put them out of action before they start to fight, they hate that and I don’t blame them. There must be very few boys left in Pictou Co. now.…

The money situation is really bad and it takes a lot of figuring to make ends meet. I’m having trouble trying to save and get the necessities too. I don’t figure on having much for leave but since you mentioned sending some by cable by all means do so if this arrives in time….

If you can get a Ronson (lighter) for me it will be swell Mum, for a couple of weeks now I have been bumming lights. We can’t get matches at all. Keep the boxes coming and get the tooth powder if you can, these boxes are sure swell and I appreciate them more than you think.…

We had another scheme this week for three days. They are coming thick and fast now.  This one was an endurance scheme and I mean endurance. Altogether we went about seventy-five miles so that is approximately twenty-three a day. One morning we were up at two had breakfast and never had anything to eat until the next morning and we went the twenty miles and dug trenches. You never saw such a tired bunch of boys in your life.… This hardtack is not very nourishing so if Dad can get Click or Prem please send it besides cheese or anything. I eat everything now. I got to. So far I have had only one blister and that is plenty. My feet are real good but they won’t be if this keeps up. I don’t know if they are trying to kill us or toughen us up. So send all the eats you can.

If you get my ring fixed send it along too, I would sure like to have it….

I haven’t been out at all yet, just the same as ever. I saw a show the other night, last Saturday, it was You Were Never Lovelier with Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire. It was really good.…

Give my regards for now until I can do it myself to everyone and a big hello to the grandparents. Hope they are all well and that you are better real soon Mum. Take good care of yourself and don’t do any work if you can get help…. The best of everything to you all, lots of luck.

Love, Bill

Airmail letter received July 21, 1943.