The brother of Mrs. Charles Sturgis. The following letter was sent to his sister:

Dear Myrtle:

I finally have settled down long enough to write a letter, it certainly seems to be quite a problem these days as I am certainly busy all of the time.  However it seems as though it will be easier the next few days. Well Myrtle, I received some mail yesterday, the first that I received since I left Scotland in June. However it seems to take the mail two or three months to arrive in Italy.

Well Myrtle I hope all is well on the farm. I am sending Velma a cable to-day wishing her the best of luck.

I had a wonderful trip from Scotland to Sicily. The sea was calm all the way, and there was very little enemy action. There were no air attacks whatever and the few subs that would have annoyed us were taken care of by the British destroyers.

I saw the first street lights since I left Canada when I sighted Tangier in the Spanish Morocco as our boat was entering the Straights of Gibraltar. I don’t know of anything that is nicer than a Mediterranean cruise. You really can’t imagine how delightful it really is. I would certainly like to to make a trip in peacetime.

I stopped off at Algiers for a few days. That id a terrible dirty town and the heat was terrific. Our next stop was Sicily and you probably know all about the Sicilian campaign it is ancient history now. I think the Canadian Army did very well in this campaign considering that it was their initiation in battle. In my opinion the 1^st Can. Division is one of the best in the 8^th Army and the 8^th Army is the greatest in the world.

The one thing that I am thankful for is that we are fighting in Italy and not Western Ontario. Towns the size of Chatham are really flattened out. Somehow I can’t feel too sorry for the Italian people as they brought it all on themselves. If they hadn’t entered the war it would have been all over long ago. Maybe I am prejudiced as I didn’t like a “Dago” when I was in Canada and my opinion hasn’t changed.

The worst damaged town that I have seen as yet is Messina. It is a town of nearly 200,000 people and is on the Straits of Messina across from the Italian mainland. It was a swell winter resort and had many beautiful buildings in it. It certainly is a mess of rubble now.

I saw Harry Kyle about three weeks ago. It was the first time I have seen him since January 1940. He was on a lorry just returning from the front lines for a rest. He was covered with dirt and dust and he looked like he needed a rest. We were parked along the road as they were passing by and I just had time to say “hello”. I didn’t recognize him but he did me. I was certainly glad to see him and wished I had a chance to have a chat with him for I don’t know when I will see him again, for I don’t know what unit he is in now. I don’t see any of the Dresden boys these days but Bill Campbell who I see every day. I suppose you have heard by now about Archie Blackburn being killed. I don’t know how it happened but I suppose you will as queer as it seems we don’t get any news here what’s over. Red Blackburn and Fred Kerr, who are in the same unit as I am, were in the lorry that ran over a land mine. Fred was driving and he seemed to get the worst part of the blast 

Well Myrtle the climate of Italy is very nice. All summer long you never see a cloud in the sky, but it is very hot. The first of October the rainy season sets in, and believe me it really rains. I believe constant artillery fire helps it out too. However these last few days have really been nice. I gets rather cold at nights for we are in the mountains and it gets mighty cold sleeping out at nights. I shivered all last night and it wasn’t from artillery fire although there was a terrific barrage going all night long. However I am feeling fine and standing the tough going very well. Shaving in ice cold water is no picnic but it is surprising what you can do when you have to.

My appetite is terrific these days and I can eat anything they have thown at me, but if I ever get out of this army I will pass up stews, bully beef and prunes 

Well Myrtle I must close now. Hope by now you have your plates and can eat OK.

Your brother,

Irvine        

Discharged March 1946.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Awards	C.V.S.M. with Clasp, 1939 to 1945 Star, Italy Star
Sources	CM-IODE(P), DT (24/04/41), DT (16/12/43)

Age	31
Birthplace	Born- June 20th, 1908
When Enlisted	December 2nd, 1939
Next of Kin	Parents- Mr. Walker & Mrs. Myra Law

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