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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

28 October 1916 Holeyn Hall Wylam-on-Tyne

Dear folks:-

Well, I've put in a week at the Convalescent Home now and am getting along nicely. Have just come in from a walk down to the village 1 1/2 miles away. It makes me pretty tired to walk that far but I've not noticed my side get sore this time so I guess it is going to come along alright.

I got Mother's letter from Calgary and Father's from home on Oct. 1. I guess there was some flying around at our house for a few days getting everyone ready to get away. It was nice that you had company all the way. I'll bet you were loaded fit for a winter's campaign, and tried to carry it all.

Had a letter from E.R. (Etta Redburn) Oct. 5. She mentioned Father receiving the first cable from Bill. I thought that there was a quicker service than that with the official casualty list. I was hit on Sept. 28 and it had not appeared by Oct. 5.

Had a letter from some of my chums in the ambulance corps since coming here. They had quite a smash after I left. Two horse ambulances got smashed up. The horses were killed and also 1 man. The crews were all wounded. It is lucky that they were not full of wounded when they were hit for they can hold as many as 12-14 sitting cases each.

Bill is still at Lark Hill and it is beginning to look as if we are going to make our "leaves" coincide. Had a letter from him yesterday. He was in charge of the gun detachment that made a record. From the time of unlimbering the gun till reporting ready to fire & firing, it was only 35 seconds. I have sent a letter to my C.O. in France to see if he can recommend me for a Commission in the R. F. A. I'm not sure whether he will do it or not because as soon as I finish my leave, I'll be struck off the strength of the 5th Fd. Amb.(automatically). I'll see what he'll do and if he won't do it perhaps the C.O. of the base depot will.

There is not much to write about here. We get up at 7 am and all we have to do is eat our meals and lounge around till 8:30 pm when it is bedtime. The weather has not been very nice but when it is fine we all generally go out for a stroll. There are lots of books and magazines here so I spend most of my time indoors reading or writing letters.

That part of my old letter, Pa, that had to do with my assignment pay: That $15 is an amount equal to a month's assignment, which is kept out of the remaining $18 of the month when the first assignment was paid. That is for April 1915, $15 was paid to Orville, and $15 was kept to my credit at the pay office; I could draw the other $3 the next month ie I could draw the $18. they still keep the $15 of April 1915. I'll draw that "apres la guerre". (after the war, Pa)

I reported my throat here on two occasions and they only give me a gargle. The head Sister told me to report it to the throat specialist at 1st Northern General Hospital when I report back there for my uniform and pass. (I wear hospital blue now).

There is a concert here tonight. I think they put on something like that every Sat. night. We had some fine singers here last week.

Well, I think this is about all the news just now, so I'll ring off.

Lovingly,

Harold

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