My dear Mother,

The camp is still muddy but not bad at that. We have straw ticks to sleep on and four blankets besides raised boards to sleep on. Everything is fairly comfortable so we have nothing to kick on.

The platoon has been split up into two shacks. I have charge of one and have 24 men in with me. They behave well so have no trouble handling them. We draw our food from the cookhouse and eat in our shacks. It is a far better system than was in vogue in Camp Hughes. No butter here and margarine not very plentiful. We do not have any tea to drink at dinner but that does not amount to anything as we get good cocoa or tea for breakfast and supper.

Now for some of our hours.

Reveille 6:30 a.m. Breakfast 7:15 a.m. morning parade 9 a.m. to noon. Dinner 12:15 Afternoon parade 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Retreat 4:30 p.m. Supper 5 p.m. First post 9 p.m. Last post 9:30 p.m. Lights out 9:40 p.m. All windows on one side of the shack to be left open from Lights out to Reveille. All windows curtained from Retreat until daylight. Discipline is very strict but not any more than it should be.

The battalion has to undergo another medical exam and it is a hard one, believe me. They turn you down for any flaw they find no matter how small. A Company was up today for examination and lost quite a bunch of men. I don’t know when we go up but will write you as soon as I know how Fred and I make out.

I wrote Cliff and asked him to come over if he could get a pass. He wired me today that he was leaving Monday and if I could get a pass to come over. On account of the medical exam no passes so we couldn’t get over. I wired him that I couldn’t come and asked him to give us full particulars. Possibly he has written to you so you will know before you get my next letter.

Some things are cheaper over here but as a rule they cost the same as in Canada. British manufactured goods are cheaper but foreign manufactured are a lot dearer. Tobacco is practically the same.

You will have $7.00 for me out of my assigned pay. I wish you would send that also by post office order as I expect to get a pass about Christmas and want to go to Scotland. We get eight days on a pass to Ireland and Scotland and six days to England and Wales. Railway fare half price, not bad, eh?

I haven’t seen much of the country around here as it is dark by suppertime and no lights in town on account of danger of air raids.

Say Musie, I am sending my signet ring back as it is a bother over here when I am out on route marches. It catches so is of no service whatever. It may be a week before I get a chance to send it but it will be along soon.

Expect to go to Shoreham tomorrow in daylight so will let you know what it looks like in daylight. We were in Southwick and it surely is a pretty place but rather old fashioned.

Your loving son,

James