Transcription
Dear Papa,
I received your two letters of Aug 18th and 22nd numbered 8 and 9. But I had already received 8 and 9 (unnumbered by you), so I guess I am getting them regularly at that rate. I was very glad to hear that everything is going all right. I received two letters from Blanche this week, one from aunt Bindie and one from Lina (?) [??] so the mail has been very good to me. When you write Ruby's next time please tell Rhea I am still looking for a letter from her as I haven't heard from her since I left Lark (?) Hill on the Plain. I wonder if she has been addressing them to some other place than the Imperial. Please impress upon all of them to use that address.
I am glad to hear that Camilla's wedding went off so fine. I am also glad you got the present now as the government is three weeks behind time in giving us our fuild (?) allowance for August. (£7.) and so both Kirk and I have been quite hoke. I had to cable you for some money as may have to leave England before my October pay is due. For I have received order to "hold mu[?]peet in readiness to proceed to Egypt at an early date", so the war office saw it(?) to adopt the major's recommendation for Egypt. I am glad for it will cause you and Blanche less worry than of I was going to France. I expect we will sail in a week or two. I am getting a helmet and a suit of light colored + weighted material for the desert, the rest of special tropical bit I will get there. I guess you will be glad I am going to Egypt for it is altogether likely we will see fighting in Palestine. Wouldn't it be odd it should be in the march on Jerusalem? It would certainly be of the great interest to me to see the old places of the Bible.
I am glad you were able to get around so much this summer. It has made it very pleasant for you and for our folks. I am glad uncle Albert is all right again. I wrote him the other day and yesterday I received a letter from aunt Bindie after my letter had gone. I am sorry aunt Augustine is poorly. Please remember me to her in writing next time.
I was glad to get the cuts(?) from the Globe about the political crisis at Ottawa. It seems [??] to me to see the names of cliff s[??]jton again. But he seems to be working with the Ton's (?) again doesn't he? I hardly understand it after reading the price you sent me about the Western Convention at which Bonde[?] was branded and Cliff took part in the branding.
Please tell major Cunan and Floyd it makes me feel proud to have such neighbors. Floyd has the spirit of a [??] soldier and should go a long way in the army. It was fine of him to enlist as soon as the army would take him like that. This is certainly a young man's war. Please buy "The first Hundred Thousands" and read it. It is a realistic and at the same time seemingly funny description of the [??]auisation and after life on "Kitchener's army." Everything is so true to life too. I have seen exactly similar scenes. You will get a good idea of what it means to train recruits, and the pride a subaltern has in the men he has trained.
Here it is 10.30 p.m. and I must get to bed. I wrote Blanche tonight also. Will luck has stuck to Kirk and I all(?) the way through. I am glad I was able to be of some use in England for it has meant a lot to you. I know you hoped I would get a permanent job as instructor but things are different here than in the Canadian army. Here only a man who has been wounded gets the "soft" jobs and after all it is the only fair system. But it will ease your mind greatly to know I am for Egypt and not France. It will be an interesting trip too for we will [?] France overland(?) no doubt + reent[?]ack in the Mediterranean.
Well goodbye for this time. I hope the cable won't put you in staits (?). Of course you must take it out of the estate money and not your own account. I would not have asked for it if I didn't need it very much.
Yours affectionately, Harry.
P.S. I will write you again as soon as I have any definite sailing [??].Transcriber
Sopie NeangLanguage
English
