18 Dec. 1916 C.C.A.C.Hastings, England

Dear Folks,

It seems a long time since I wrote a letter home, but when I was on leave, it just seemed impossible to get a letter written to anyone. It was rather a remarkable coincidence that Bill's leave and mine should each be exactly 4 weeks and end within a day of each other. It certainly made  it much more pleasant.

We stayed at Mitford's most of the time we were in London and they seemed glad to have us and made us feel very much at home. We just came and went as we liked. We had Millie and Edith out several times to hear two Grand Operas, Faust, and Aida. Also, Edith came down to Bramshott with us to see the 160th (Bruce Battalion).

During our stay in London, we got around to most of the principal things that neither of us had seen. We got to two afternoon sessions of the House of Parliament. The first time we missed the Question Hour which was what we particularly wanted so we came earlier next day and heard Mr. Asquith, Sir E. Carson, Mr. Tennant etc. We did not hear Lloyd George. Mr. Asqith can keep the House guessing. He shut up nearly every one of his questioners without giving them the least bit of information.

I think we spent most of our first week trying to buy a few Christmas presents for the people at home. It is a worse job here than at home because it is so hard to get suitable things that could be sent by mail easily.

We finally ended up in Robinsons & Cleavers, the big linen house, and found the best things there. We sent a draft to Mother. Thought she could make better use of it when away from home than a few articles of linen.

After about 10 -12 days of tearing around London, we decided to go on up to Scotland and drop off at those people in Yorkshire that you know, Mr. Balmer (or Bulmer). On inquiring, we found that we could not travel on the line going through their town on our up journey but could come back that way. We notified them , and also the Munros as to when we would likely come.

We left for Glasgow Friday midnight and arrived Greenock 10 am Sat. Mrs. Munro was at the station to meet us and we went right over to the house. That was the day Bill was gazetted. He cabled as soon as he found out.

I should judge Munros to be typical Scotch working people - except that they don't booze. They live in a 3 story building on the top floor and are crowded. They all seem very happy though and were glad to have us visit them. Their hospitality is very superfluous and they wouldn't let us eat at the same table as themselves or the kids but stuck us off in our own rooms and fed us there, with the door closed. They made us feel kind of uncomfortable by doing things like that all the time. They bought things to give us to eat which I don't think they could well afford.

They have a dandy ...right family and they all seem to be doing as much as they can to help in the upkeep of the house. The eldest boy , about 18, is a boilermaker's apprentice and earns 30 shillings a week for 72 hours work. They work overtime 3 nights a week. He doesn't look strong enough to stand it and when he comes in at night he looks "all in". The eldest daughter is a dandy singer; she is about 14 and has a good voice. she sings in one of the city school choirs. Mae would like to get hold of her.

We had them all singing one night and the youngest, Molly, about the same age as Gracie, said she could sing. We said "let's have it then". That made her shy so she said she knew one " in me ain hymn book". We said " well, sing that one". She squirmed around a bit and then said " oh, but I must have my hymn book wi' me".

There isn't much to see around Greenock , especially at this time of year as it is so foggy all the time. They only have about 7 hours of daylight on clear days, but on misty days , it is never really light. We rented a Kodak to take up with us but we couldn't get enough light to take more than 3 or 4 snaps. We saw nearly all the friends of the family during our stay but there were so many and such flimsy relationships that I couldn't begin to tell you who they were.

Mrs. Skilling, Mrs. Munro's mother, came over to see us a couple of evenings. She is 65 but looks older. Just the same, she gets up every morning at 5:30 am, gets her own breakfast, and takes a car at 6:30 am for Port Glasgow where she works at a hemp mill. she doesn't seem to mind. she is a Catholic and seems quite satisfied that our ancestors came from Germany. It doesn't make her like the Germans any more however. Frank Skilling ( her son) was away to sea, so they thought, so we didn't meet him.

We decided that we would go on to Glasgow Wed. pm and spend the rest of the day and all day Thursday there, and go on to Edinburgh after dark. When we got up on Wed. am, we found that neither Mrs. Munro nor Charlie had gone to work; they said they slept in but if they did, I think it must have been on purpose. The rest would not hurt them if they could afford to lose the time. We got away on the 2 pm train. Mrs. Munro and Charlie came to the station to see us off.

I had an idea that Glasgow was something like Greenock but it didn't take long for me to change my mind. it is a dandy city and we had a dandy day there. We went to see an exhibition of war relics at night and went through a large art gallery in the same building. We had tea under the wing of the monoplane in which Warneford V.C. brought down the first Zeppelin.

Next morning we looked through the City Hall. It is a gran' place and also the University and the civic art gallery. It has a lot of the masterpieces of the London galleries which have been removed from London for fear of being destroyed during some of the raids. We intended going out for a car ride along the docks but left it too late. We went but the darkness prevented our seeing anything.

We caught a train for Edinburgh just about 6:30 pm and got in there at about 9 pm. We looked up a hotel and then tried to find an eating house. There didn't seem to be one open so we wandered back to the station and got there just in time to be too late for the dining room. Nothing was left but the free buffet for soldiers. We went in but they wouldn't serve Bill because he was an officer. We managed to get them to give us something in behind the scenes but only after talking quite a while.

Edinburgh was enveloped in a mist all the time we were there and we couldn't get a view of the city at all We (took) the bus one day out to see the Forth Bridge but could only see one span of it. The fog hid all the rest. We had a good look at some of the interesting places though, Edinburgh Castle and part of the old town.

We left on Sat. pm for Yorkshire and after a very exasperating journey got into West Rounton  about 11:30 pm.  We missed connections at Darlington on a/cc of being delayed by an accident on the line. The last train stopping at our nearest station to West Rounton had gone so we had to hire a trap to take us out, about 9 miles. Fortunately, the people were not in bed and gave us a hearty welcome. They are Mr. and Mrs. Hazeltine. We stayed there until Tuesday afternoon and then came on to London.

Their place is quite near Middlesboro and if I had had your letter telling about Mr. Yeo's people I would have had a chance to go over. It has not arrived yet but I think some of my mail is down at the CCAC Depot here and I might get it yet. Send all mail to 609 Finchley Road, Hampstead, London c/o Mrs. Mitford. I'll likely be changing my address quite a bit during the next few weeks so I can always send there for it. I'm afraid I'll lose most of my Xmas parcels especially those that go to France.

There is not going to be any Xmas leave from CCAC at all as all railway facilities are being reserved for soldiers on leave from France. The Presbyterian church here is going to entertain 150 soldiers on Xmas day in the church and I'm going to try and get an invitation. It is going to be a sort of tea meeting or as nearly one as they can get in this country.

Well, I'm getting run out of news for this time so will ring off. We are in dandy billets here and have nothing to do but wait for a board. I'll write more often now that I have come back off leave.

Lovingly,

Harold

28 Nov.1916 609 Finchley Rd, London, England

Dear Mother:-

Have been having a whale of a time since coming here and it seems harder to get started at a letter here than it is in France.

Things just worked out fine for Bill and me to have our leave together. I got here just 1 day after he did, and will possibly be away longer than he will. I suppose you knew that I had gotten 4 weeks convalescent leave.

Since coming here I have been running around with Bill & between us, we have done all the Xmas shopping. We have everything sent off but yours. Since you are away visiting, we thought you would rather have a small "draught" than anything else we could send from here so I am enclosing a draft for $10.00 from Bill and me.

We expect to go up to Scotland for a week or so sometime this week. Bill is expecting to be gazetted anytime and will be on leave until he is posted to a Battalion. I am off until Dec. 16 so we are going to have practically all the time together.

We have been very lucky as regards weather. It is just like October at home, clear and frosty at nights. It is generally very wet at this time of year in England. Do my letters go out to you regularly? I always send them to Father at Teeswater so that they will go the rounds as usual.

Well, I think I told most of the news in my regular letters so I'll ring off as I am in a hurry. Give my love to Merren and Gert and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Your loving son,

Harold

Note from Bill Skilling to his mother below:

Dear Mother, it seems harder even to write while on leave than when we're working. It's no use trying to tell all we're doing till we're back to our unit again, then the full account will come. In the meantime, short notes will have to do. We're staying at Millie's & having a great time. All thru my course. Best of love to you and all. Merry Christmas. Hope the junk got there ok. Your loving son, Bill

15 May 1916 Flanders

Dear Father, Mother & the Rest-

Rec'd your letter of Apr. 23 o.k. and also the parcel of Apr. 13. The cake was getting pretty old but all the other things were in good shape. I am afraid if the weather is going to be warm it will not do to send things like cakes or fruit because they will only be spoiled  by the time they arrive.

I was glad to know that you had the girls home for Easter. It would be much pleasanter. Has Mae decided about going out West? Last letter I had from her she was thinking seriously of it. Did Father's land deal drop(?) through? You haven't mentioned it lately.

I am still at work in the hospital and am kept fairly busy.  Some days are slack however and we can get a few minutes to write letters. I had a letter from Aunt Aggie last week and one from Chas. Munroe and Millie Mitford. Both of the latter want me to go and visit them when I am on leave home. It is as far away as ever and I am trying to see if I can't change numbers with someone who is leaving the unit. I must write Belle Ruxton some of these days. I had a letter from her a long time ago and I don't think I answered it.

Billy Redburn and I were over to spend the evening with Clair Brink on Saturday. He has a nice hut to himself but is kept pretty busy during the daytime. We had a nice evening chat together.

I have been getting the Globes that Rose sends right along and also got the parcel from the Patriotic League. I acknowledged it to Mrs. Gillis. Say, don't put my name in the paper any more than you can help. Miss Fairbairn gets all mixed up in her statements and she is apt to get somebody in to trouble sometime.

This has been a very commonplace week and there has not been anything out of the way happen. We never know though when things will start.

When do the school exams come off. I saw by the news that only students who were going to work on the farms were to be excused from exams. Is Vern going to do that? I guess Norma will be going to Normal next fall. That won't leave very many at home. I hope Mae repeats her success of last spring and carries off the prizes at the choir competition. I guess she will write and tell me all about it.

There's absolutely no news to tell so I'll ring off and get this away on the first mail that's going.

Lovingly,

Harold Skilling