Transcription
For God, For King & For Country
Y.M.C.A.
Y . M . C . A
Y.M.C.A.
PATRON H.M. FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE PATRON Y.M.C.A NATIONAL COUNCIL MILITARY CAMP DEPT H.M. THE KING. H.R.H. DUKE OF CONNAUGHT.
Reply to __________ Company ________ Bat. __________ Regt
Stationed at Bramshott Camp England
July 2, 1916
Dear Mother: -
How is everybody as for me I am quite well there are so many things to tell I don’t know what to tell first wrote two letters on ship but didn’t get posting them, because it was reported no letters to be mailed within four days after our arrival. Did you get the cable gram we sent? We had a very good trip, the weather being fine, except the first two days which were foggy. A great many were sick, Sid and Arthur were sick for half a day, but we were all dizzy at first. Left Halifax Tues. morning, arrived in Eng. Thurs 28th. Our ship, the Missanabie, Empress of Britain and the Drake a man-of-war sailed together saw quite a few ships, the Drake guarded them off to find their nationality, the water was very calm, so we saw a lot of large fish.
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Did you and Clystal receive the postcards I sent on our way down to Halifax + also George’s letter. From Ottawa to Hal. there are some fine sights but is also a awful lot of bush. Went straight from train to ship therefore didn’t see much of Hal. but it doesn’t seem much of a place. Came into Liverpool Harbour Thurs. night, it is a very large harbour being crowded with ships. From Liverpool to Bramshott Camp it is a bushy country divided up here and there with farms cultivated mostly by women. Stopped off in Bermingham [spelling error: Birmingham] Station which is a very busy place. got off at Liphoule Station marched from there to Bramshott Camp which is about two miles, this camp is so large you would easily get lost, there being about 40,000 troops stationed here. Saw Percy Foster out of the 89th + Michael Fox out of the 38th both being very glad to see us. We are crowded in about fifteen in each tent, making it very hard to move around, the accomodations [spelling error: accommodations] are yet poor but are getting things fix up as soon as possible, the first few days we had to march a mile + a half for dinner. Each Battalion has to fix up their own
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necessities, as there are Battalions coming in every few days keeping the transport wagons busy. these are mostly drawn by two pair of mules some by horses. these are a large size of mules looking like horses, there is also a fine class of horses in Eng. being driven tandem style, besides there very small carts drawn by ponies or donkeys, fine roads all through the country, in the cities the streets are very narrow and buildings very low. On the 1st July there was an inspection of all these troops by the king at Hinhead [spelling error: Hindhead] eight miles from our camp. A. Co. of the 77 went as a guard being the first time to see the king, it was some thing wonderful to see such a gathering of troops, there was a lot of fine horses in the artillery. It took them all afternoon to move off the grounds Batt. After Batt. The drill is mostly with packs on, and a great
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many men fell out, that is of the Battalions that were inspected. They drill every day except Sunday and often they drill Sunday, as yet I don’t know whether the 77th will or not. The second day we were here there was an inspection by Lord Brooks Commander of this Camp a lot of the Battalions were divided, but we haven’t been yet. On ship we only a little physical drill in the mornings, on our ship there was 18,000 soldiers, a person never would imagine all the work + machinery there is about a ship. There was four sittings each meal there being accommodations for 4500 each sitting. The weather is very changeable raining frequently, our first night in camp it rained all night, we are surrounded by villages two and three miles away, there are some deep valleys giving a fine view of the country. The north coast of Ireland was our first sight of land which we were all anxious to see, the rocky coast is all divided off in small patches the grass is very green. When we came into the dangerous zone we were met by [crossed out: a] 3 torpedo destroyers a long low little boat, but has very high speed, these stopped [crossed out: us] with us until we reach England. (these belonged to Britain)
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We are told that after we are here a few weeks we will get a pass of six days to go where we like, London is only about 42 miles from here. The engines and cars are different to the Canadian one, cars are small + light, but travel at a great speed, making it very rough. I guess I will write all afternoon as it is our only time, but will have to take in some of the sports which are going on, must write to Clystal. Canadian mail goes Mon. + Thurs.
Best love to all
Sefton
Pte. Sefton Stewart
77 Battalion
A Co. No 1 Platoon
Bramshott Camp.
C/O. Army Post Office London England.Transcriber
Teshia LlewellynLanguage
English
