Transcription

No 142556,¹

76 Battalion C.E.F.

West Sandling

Kent

June 2.

My Darling Minnie

It's now sunday evening and I'm staying in so dear I think I'll try and write a few lines to you. I have just come off picquet, at Hythe, and had rather a late supper, we were making the people line up and take their turn to get on the buses going to Folkestone, and had some job, as there were just crowds of soldiers and civilians going down today.

We finished at the ranges on Friday afternoon and were not sorry either as we never got back till seven or eight but never had to get up till eight in the morning so that made up for it.

Well how is my darling feeling these days, I'm always thinking of you dear and wondering and hoping you are well and happy, but hope some day soon to be back to the dearest girl I love. 

The weather here is just great again and I often wonder what we would be doing if we were out together in Toronto again, just fancy what has happened since a year from now, I don't think I had thought of joining then had I dearie, but I'm not very sorry now that I did although, it's very hard at times to control our feelings, when I see lots of soldiers and with women, but dearest I'm never going to give way, as long as I have such a dear girl at home, and I haven't been out with a single girl all the time I've been here, there were several girls used to come down to the ranges, and talk to us, but the things they talked about dear, I wouldn't care to say my self, and the fellows from Barrie, were telling about some young women there that were soon to become mothers, but dearest this isn't a very interesting or enjoyable subject to write about, but I know that no one else will read this letter, and I know that you will be waiting for me when this job or war is over, so dearest you will forgive anything I write that isn't pleasant. I expect to go and see my Auntie at last, so I hope to write my next letter from there. I sent you a photo and a book of views the other day, and I'm enclosing a post card I got for you dear in Hythe yesterday which I hope you will like. I think I have received all your letters safely dearie the first one sent to the Army P.O. and had them regular ever since. 
Well sweetest I'll close now with fondest love from your ever loving and true

Dudley. XXXXXXXXX

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Archivist notes

1. *Archivist note:* The service number is written "142556"; the leading digit is slightly ambiguous in the scan but consistent with Canadian Expeditionary Force numbering. Year inferred as 1916 from unit designation and station at West Sandling, Kent — n

• 2. o year written on the letter.