The letter is transcribed in full.
Oct 23rd, 1916
Stationed at Caesars Camp, Shorncliffe Eng.
Dear Papa,
I guess this is my night for letters home. I get my mail quite regular either Sunday or Tuesday generally. You are always so regular to write. I received the ox of chocolates O.K. Thanks very much. They tasted great.
The weather is getting quite cool here. It is getting rather uncomfortable in the tents especially during the wet weather. We have had two or three great mornings just like when I'm setting out for the woods in [unknown] at home. Reveille goes at six
o’clock and we fall in at six thirty for a short route march, back here at seven when we have breakfast. Fall in again at eight for Physical Training till eight forty five. Have bayonet fighting, battalion drill, etc. from nine ‘till eleven thirty. Fall
in again at one, are inspected by the C[ompany] C[ommander] and have company and battalion drill, [unknown] fights, etc. ‘till four thirty. Last Post goes at nine thirty and lights out at nine forty five. They feed us pretty well. One day they ran out
of gruel, it was rather slim. For breakfast we have Porridge, some times pretty good, other times they forget the salt and sugar, bacon or liver or sausages, bread, margarine and tea. For dinner, meat, roast or boiled potatoes, some days cabbage or peas,
bread, soup or tea, and rice or tapioca. There isn’t much taste to the pudding generally. For supper, hash or jam or stewed figs and apples, bread, margarine, tea. Some nights we have cheese and other times canned peaches and pineapple in the place of
jam or hash. The only trouble is we can’t generally eat enough. I don't know what I would eat if we had grule like at home, be apt to ruin the [unknown].
It is very expensive eating in towns here except one place, the "church of England Soldiers club." There they sell at cost, get a fair meal for 10c or a shilling. Anywhere else it costs from two to three shillings. I very seldom go to town now. Rather
stay and read. They have a lending library in the Y.M.C.A. Pay 6c and you can get a book and exchange it as often as you like. I read "Elizabeth to the Dale," some of W.W. Jacobs, [unknown], and Jack London. They have over three hundred books when they
are all in.
I had a letter from Mrs. [unknown] the other day. She said they were sending me seventeen pairs of socks to distribute. Be able to supply half the platoon.
I suppose it will be ploughing time now. I had a letter from Ian today, he said they had a good crop. I hope the potatoes turn out good. Some of the Carlton fellows here had word from home that the crop there was below the average.
I had a talk with Willard Hains tonight. He seems to be a very nice fellow. There was a flow from the 145th here tonight, he belongs to the same unit as Willie Watling. They are over at St. Mathis Plains. Clay Williston was here on his way home but we
didn't know till after he left.
Well I must close, as it is getting late. Don't work to [sic] hard.
Love to all, Archie
