Letters to Miss Jeanne Reid
17 Stanley Ave, Chatham, Ontario, Canada
No. 880551, C Coy
4th Reserve Battalion
Bramshott, Hants
England
July 8th, 1917
Park St. Youth League –
Dear Friends,
It may interest you to hear a few words about the 186th since arriving in England. Personally, I spent a few profitable evenings with you in your Services, with pleasure; as also Sabbath Services. I know you have the Cause at Heart, equally with us!
You may receive word from some of the other boys, I hope you do. There is nothing very great transpired in the lives of most of us, since leaving you. Other than our training, which has, of course been more severe.
In this regard we certainly came up against it. Some of the boys used to find fault at home; they’ve had a reason since then. You read of the misfortune of our ship before reaching Liverpool – hitting a mine, no doubt! Well our misfortune was small, no doubt! Then, we put in a couple of weeks in Quarantine, in tents in snowy weather – I believe all troops are shut in for this Period – undergoing Medical Exam and such preliminaries. Food, I may say, was not as plentiful as that we were used to. However, every day draws to a close, as did this one. We are removed into Huts – this is how the troops are housed over here. Huts about 60 X 40 feet holding some 30 men – formed in the Order of a Battalion – A B C D, four deep. For see, each letter a row of huts and there are 10 huts in a row. Beside these are the Officers’ Quarters, formed up likewise. Then there are many huts for other purposes. The sanitary conditions are fine. I may also add, there are well built roads for traffic.
Our day’s work – for number of hours here, is similar to that in Canada. True sometimes there is a night raid to the trenches. There are well constructed trenches here, some five miles of it – there we use bombs and Star flares, something like those used in France. Indeed, the conditions are similar – some of our Officers being returned men.
We had the experience the other night, of digging trenches on a dark night, well, wasn’t bad, then at midnight we – a party of us – were detailed to carry some food and tea. It is a splendid part of England for War Purposes, where we are situated. The Hampshire Hills are high and pine covered. The English Cuckoo wild pigeon abound here, as does also the wonderful little skylark. When we were in our tents in the snow – very early in the morning, you could hear the cheery skylark, before rising.
There are many lovely walks among the hills and I may say they are fairly well patronized. There are many houses away from the tops. Besides the inhabitants there are countless soldiers! But still, one is lonesome in a crowd sometimes – indeed it isn’t that often where we desire our best pleasure, but rather in the Quieter aspects! A Soldier I met the other Sabbath evening, said to me in one of these walks, “You wouldn’t know think there was a war on here, would you?” This was the Real Solitude of the Hills.
Some parts of England are flatter, of course. I may just add there are many fine homes in the Old Land. The term is well said – “The Stately Homes of England!”, and I am pleased to add, the people correspond. Although I’m English born – I’ll say – there are no finer people than one meets here!
Well, I’ve said more than I intended, perhaps so will close with saying – some of the boys are gone over – some are going, – others of us, the last – but not least – we are waiting our orders! We are in good spirits.
There is no one writing me from Park St., so I’ll just drop a hint. I’m unmarried and looking for the Real Thing! I have an Idea that I may still be so after the War. You see, I am bold, I propose I’ve been slow moving too! You will excuse me I’m sure! Well, Goodbye. Hoping somebody will write.
P.S. You may expect to hear from me later.
Faithfully Yours,
Ernest W. Wheeler
