C.A.M.C Training School
Dibgate Camp
Shorncliff England
Dec 11th 1916
Dear Mother
Just received your letter this a.m. and needless to say I was delighted
to hear from you. You were asking me
about this money too, well I have had several letters from different people in
Winnipeg all congratulating me on my good fortune but funny to say I have heard
nothing about it from anybody who seems to know where it is coming from and
when I get it. Personally I think they
are trying to kid me.
As you see by the above
address I at last made the move and am certainly glad to get away from there. I think if I had the choice
between there and the pole I would take the North Pole. As yet you have not sent me V-V’s address and
I can’t write her till I know where she lives.
This camp is situated not far from where I was stationed when I came
back from Canada. It is a great deal
nicer climate and it certainly is not so cold and wet. They tell me that Jim Ross was killed the
other day, just imagine the last letter he wrote me he was trying to arrange to
meet me in London when he came over on leave.
You said dad was
figuring on joining the army when he gets here they won’t let him to France as
forty three is the age limit and they are returning a bunch from here that are
older than that. As yet I cannot say
where or when I am leaving here but I guess it will be in the near future.
So Richmond’s wife only stopped a few days, maybe if it was just in
time to get married you know there is something strange between those two and long long while ago I formed my own conclusions on very good authority but it's
none of our business and we should worry and they tell me that Ireland is the
Candi Kid now. Well if words could kill
a man Ireland would have been dead long ago.
What do you think.
Did I tell you that I got mad one day and took the afternoon off so
they put me on twenty cents a day for three months and it is up in about one
week. Gee just imagine me living on
twenty cents a day never the less I did and made out all right. You see after three months good conduct they
release you. So just one more week. Mother this sure has been one great old
experience and one that will be remembered to the end of my days.
Well Mother remember me to V-V and Dad and write when you can.
Love
Chas
Charley's friend, Jim ( James Ross ) is the family friend Charley's been looking forward to visiting with. Jim had been employed by Charley's mom and dad when they owned hotels back in Saskatchewan before the war. Like Charley, Jim signed up in 1914 and was serving as a Sergeant with the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, Saskatchewan Regiment.
I'm sorry we don't know more about Jim Ross. I have no photograph of him. It would be wonderful to connect with any of his descendants. Jim was killed in action at Thiepval Ridge on September 28th 1916 and is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial.
Bill Barry and the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial Project Inc share an online tribute "In memory of Sergeant James Ross " https://goo.gl/7WWAZ6
The Vimy Memorial in France remembers those Canadians who lost their lives and have no known graves. Inscription – Jim's name as it is inscribed on the Vimy Memorial. Over 11,000 fallen Canadians having no known place of burial in France, are honoured on this Memorial. May they never be forgotten.
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