Letter #82, September 28th, 1918 to Holland Manitoba

Envelope postmarked

September 28, 1918

To Holland Manitoba

Dear Mother & Dad

Just received your letter, the first for three weeks so here goes to answer it at once. So, Hessie is married, well I am pleased to hear it.  She is getting on in age now and had she not taken that chance probably she never would have been married, it’s a certainty she would have been out of luck had she waited for yours truly. 

The girl from Buxton has been going around singing for the wounded lately.  Gee, she had a beautiful voice, and a darn nice girl but Mother I am not own of those marrying kind and sometimes I think I am not doing what is right by accepting their hospitality.  I know darn well they are under the impression that I intend on doing something.  However, we shall see later. 

Tell VV if she wants to drop a line to a nice girl in England, she can enclose a line or two in a letter to me and I shall forward it on to her.  I am so sorry to hear that Dad is ill.  Never mind I think he will feel better after all the hard work is done and he can rest for a while. 

How does the kid like her new school?  When she encloses a letter to my friend tell her to start it as “Dear Mabel”.  

We had a wonderful game of Ball yesterday.  By Jove, it was a good game.  Of course, we won.  Say Mother for Goodness sake let the Richmond crowd fight their own battles. Aunt Rach would be the first to criticize you if you were to side in with either of them.  Poor old Bud.  God help me if I ever get married and they start henpecking me.  I’ll beat it.

Well, Mother, there is nothing I can tell you of any occasion.  Only tell VV if she does enclose a letter to Mabel, she is never to mention it to a soul because I don’t want that Portage outfit to know a darn thing about me.  Remember me to Dad and VV I’ll close with love

Chas

Letter #81 September 25th, 1918

September 25, 1918

Dear Mother,

          It’s a long while Mother since I last had any word from you, but I suppose you are busy now that it is harvest time.  It has been miserable weather here for the last few days nothing but rain all the time. Still, I have nothing to quibble about, my hut here is nice and as comfortable as one can expect on active service.

          Have you heard anything of the Richmond outfit joining up?  It’s a darn shame Mother that those fellows get off, if it was me, I should be ashamed to look a soldier in the face. Still, I suppose if the war lasts much longer they will have to come.  You know Mother the people of England seem to think that it won't be long before it is finished.  Just imagine I am going on my fifth year of soldiering.  Well, there is one thing comforting to know that is our little family have done their share.  But you know that Richmond crowd kind of makes me sore when I stop to think of the boys out here.

          How has Dad been feeling lately, I got a letter from VV not long ago, enclosed was a snapshot of herself, well I sent the photo over to England and in a few days had a reply saying that they never thought I had a Gladys Cooper for a sister.  Some compliment to VV “Eh What” Gladys Cooper is considered one of England’s foremost beauties.

          I expect to go on leave shortly, and as before expect to spend it in Buxton.  Gee Mother but those people are good to me.  A big majority of our boys are taking home English wives.  In future, the Canadian girls won't be so stuck up.  There will surely be some surprised people when the fellows get back.  It is hard to tell who is married and who isn’t nowadays.  Like an English woman once said to me “How many wives did you fellows leave in Canada” I told her we didn’t leave any more than we could handle and one or two extra never did anyone any harm.

          We went down to the District Sports a few days ago and were lucky enough to win the championship of all the forestry Corps in this part of France in Baseball.  Oh yes, we have got a good team here. 

          Say Mother you don’t know what outfit Albert Lloyd is in do you.  How does VV like her new school?  It being so near home will help to break the monotony for her.  Gee, she writes a funny letter, nothing but kids and pigs in them.

          Well, Mother, you know its hard to write a letter from this side so please don’t think its brief.  Tell Dad I hope he is feeling well and tell VV she don’t waste much paper on her brother.  I’ll close mother for this time.

Love

Chas

Just for fun, here is a 1910's photo of Gladys Cooper (on the left below) - Dame Gladys Constance Cooper (1888-1971) was an English actress whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television. The photograph of VV  (on the right) is the only one I have from her younger years.