Dear Mother and Family,

Jim and I went to London on Saturday afternoon and arrived back at camp about 2-3 this morning. I would certainly like to have you with me in London to show you the old historic places that you read about but have never seen yet. I know where the most of them are now. But London town is built in storeys like a big store and when you see one part you can either go up or down and see as much more. But it is very cramped up for London has nearly as much population as the whole of Canada. But believe me they are away behind the times over here as far as business is concerned.

My heart goes out for you as I had a letter from a lady friend of mine in Boissevain last week and she told me that Fred had enlisted, also. I am sure proud of my brothers for what they have done, but believe me there is an awful lot of bums who have cold feet and won’t come. But they will stand around and say that there is no nation that can trim us but did they ever stop and think of at what cost the boys hold that reputation? I tell you that the people of Canada today don’t realize what this war is. But let them look at England today. Old grey-headed men and women are doing the bulk of the work here as the men are either in the navy or army.

Jim had a letter that was telling that Mrs. Diane Henderson would not let her boys go to town the night of the recruiting meeting for fear they would enlist. I think I will send her the card entitled I Didn’t Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier.

You want to tell the boys to sign over half their pay before they leave as they will not get it over here anyway and cannot sign it over after they arrive here. It will be a nest egg for you and Evelyn in case of emergencies but Elliott is duty bound as the only boy at home to look after his mother and sister. If he does that I will go to the front with a glad heart.

We missed the 3rd Division and the 4th Division, I believe, is about to be formed that will mean a few more battalions from Canada. I had an inspection here Saturday morning by Mr. [Francis] Cochrane one of the Ministers of Canada and by the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand. All the troops were out.

Many missed the draft for France on account of one of the fellows taking the measles. He is still in quarantine but will be out before long. He is here in Bramshott Camp now as the battalion moved from Witley Camp to here a week ago.

Gee Mother, it is great to see the searchlights scouring London at night. The sky is as bright as day. Say. Mother, did you ever get the postcard views I sent you of London? You never mentioned them in your letters. I hope you liked them.

I am about out of news so I will have to close for now.

Your loving son,

Cliff