Somewhere Ontario
March 23rd. 1917
11:30am
Mrs W.A. Williams
Arkona Ont.
Dear Madeline,
Will write you a list of our doings. I am feeling fine just now but have been sick as usual. We are at present about 50 miles from Montreal and expect to be in at 12:30 P.M. Today is bright and thawing some. The country is covered with snow and fences half buried. Perhaps two feet of snow on the level. The country for over a hundred miles back or since leaving Smith Falls is stony and very poor soil and covered with small poplars and evergreen trees. There are nothing but crows everywhere you look and seem to be their home. This part of the country is old and not up to date, rail fences wherever you look and the houses small frames. No place like Lambton Co. for me if farming was my profession. Nearly all the buildings are white washed and are few and far between.
The boys are all well and are enjoying themselves playing cards and music and others writing letters. The train just stopped at a station and I can write just a little better but she stars again now. Just about 1 minute stop. The place is St. Polycarte Jnc. It's well named. We passed thru Toronto about 11pm last night, arrived at Smith Falls we halted half an hour. Ed. Crawford called up, Pvt Wright and he came down to see us all. I scribbled a card just in a minute and gave it to him to mail. He looks fair and was glad to see us all. Well I have not much news to tell as this is a poor place for news and I am just coming to life again after a sick night of it. I went to bed at 9 P.M. and got up at 6 A.M. Not very much sleep for a starter. No one slept much. The Bn left Queens Park 4:30 and marched to the train and loaded at once puling out 5:35. There was a large crowd at the station and I believe we got the best send off of any Bn I ever saw go away. The papers will tell all about it no doubt. There are about 575 men altold. I only wish you could of seen the Bn leaving. The Officers have a sleeper and dining car. I am glad I did not bring any lunch as we all are fed in the dining car at the Government expense and believe me it's some meal. I also had a good bed all to myself and will be comfortable.
We have just passed St. Clet. Stn. The men are being well fed and are comfortable. I went into dinner last night at 7 P.M. And 30 minutes later was relieved of it. Just two hrs after leaving London. Well I went to bed and felt better this morning only at Smith Falls. I was sick again and after 9 A.M. Tried some breakfast and now feel alright I guess I was worried too much and flustered also but I will be alright now, and hope to be able to sleep and eat. I heard at Smith Falls that we were the 8th train load of troops passed thru in 24hrs. There will surely be some doings when they get to Halifax.
Well I will write again after leaving Montreal as there will be nothing important this side. I will mail this lingo and hope this will be interesting. It's awful hard to write so excuse the writing. Hope you are feeling better and that all are well. Remember me to all. I hope you arrived home alright.
Have just passed Vaudreuil and in Montreal in 30 minutes.
P.S. I will write you as promised and don't worry about being sick as we are all much looked after.
Goodbye,
Your loving husband,
Will.
Somewhere Quebec
March 24th .17
3:30 P.M.
Mrs W.A. Williams
Arkona
Ont.
Dear Madeline.
I will try and scribble a few lines this day. The day is fine and cloudy, thawing some. This is very cold country compared to ours. Ever since we left Montreal the snow has been two to 6 feet deep every where. I am sure there will be snow here until June. Parts of Quebec the country is perfectly level and all the fences are buried up, only tops of posts showing. They are sure some people these French. I am sure they don't know there is a war on. They just gop at us guys. Their houses are small frame and there are no barns only stables. They live on beans and potatoes so they tell me. They don't seem windy enough for such strong fruit. We have just passed Trois Pistolis a small village and nearly buried with snow. Several of the villages we have passed have thousands of cords of green pulp wood piled up. I guess this is about all they have to sell. The houses are full of kids thru Quebec. They believe in the scriptures. Well enough said about these poor innocents. We are at present travelling close to the south of the St Laurence River. It is clear and seems to be miles wide perhaps two to 5 miles wide. I ahd a good view of the Quebec bridge with the broken span. It sure will some bridge when completed. We stopped for 40 min at Riviere De Loup and this is all since leaving Montreal. We are travelling awful slow since leaving Montreal. This is a heavy train 15 coaches. There was 4 different engines last night taking us 50 miles in 10 hrs.
All the boys are well and feeling rather tired after the long train ride. They are quiet and do considerable sleeping thru the day. I believe it will be Monday before we get to Halifax. We have to cross thru New Brunswick yet. I forgot about myself but that is a good thing. I am not the least sick now and enjoy the ride. I spend much time with the boys as there is always something going on. Alf feels fine and will be able to tell some story when he gets home. I would rather travel west than east. You and I will surely go out west for a trip when I get back. This is not fair for me to go and you not to see some of the world. You must sure have a trip someday. Will write again tomorrow. We passed Rimouski 6:30 A.M. We are at a new place and the train is stopping. I will try and mail this at once.
Goodbye
Your loving Husband
Will
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Somewhere New Brunswick
March 25th 17
12:30 P.M.
Mrs W.A. Williams
Arkona
Ont.
Dear Madeline,
This is a lovely day sunshine and warm. The fields of New Brunswick are getting clear of snow. We stopped at Monckton N.B. For 30 minutes. They met the train and paraded the boys around town. We are getting back into civilization again. They told us we form the 15 train of troops the last two days. The northern part of New Brunswick is deep with snow and all pine. There is lots of game in this country. We passed through N.B. In the night so had not much to write. I went to bed 10 P.M. And slept 8 A.M. We spiked our watches on 1hr in N.B. All the boys are well and I feel the best. All busy writing and reading. No church parade today.
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Somewhere in Nova Scotia
March 25th 1917
3 P.M.
We passed into N.S. About 2:30 and have just passed Amherst. This was a large place and looks like home now. The snow has nearly all gone here and we see a few buildings and farms like at home. We expect to hit Halifax about 9 P.M. And will fill up a letter by that time. Have just passed Maccan. We are travelling at a fast clip today.
8:30 Well we have seen some great sights going thru N.S. There was so much doing this afternoon I could not sit down and write until now. We got orders at Truro that we would board tonight about 9:30. We are now only 30 miles from Halifax. We are the senior Bn and we board first. There are 17 train loads. We were 15 all along and the last two hrs have passed 8 train loads. We have 60 miles from Truro to make in 2 hrs and we are travelling some. This is sure some great bunch of troops, all the way from Alberta. I was just up to see the boys and they are feeling fine. Now this is all the news of the day. Should we pull out at once there will be no more letters until the other side. Will try and wire if possible but if the Col does it for all you will understand. It is so rough I can't hardly write. So will close. Remember me to all and in your prayers don't forget your hubby. I am feeling fine and will not be sick unless all are sick. Wishing you health and Happiness. I remain your loving husband
Will. X
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Halifax Harbor, N.S.
March 27th. 1917
11 A.M.
Mrs. W.A.Williams
Arkona. Ont Can.
Dear Madeline,
I now take the pleasure of writing you. All the boys are well and myself feeling fine. This is Tuesday P.M. and we have just finished physical training. All the Battalions had 1 hr from 9.30 to 10.30. The 149- 186 and 244 are at once so you may picture 1800 men on the decks. There are immense crew on this boat. Well we are certainly comfortable and have good quarters. Our mean are on the 2nd and 3rd decks. The officers have 1st class. I have a lovely room and in the centre of the ship. I will tell you about the ship when I get back. She is 620 ft long and 18000 tons. We have the fastest and best boat. The Metagama has 2.500 but she is only a troop ship and not like ours.1 The Southland is loaded and lying near us.2 The Saxonian is loading and I believe the Tunisian is the other boat. I met Mr Young on the wharf, also F.C. Browne, Beatty and McNaughton. They are all on the Southland with the negroes. They sure looked when they seen us pull in and go right on the Lapland. Mr Young looks well and had only a hand shake with him. Well we loaded Sunday evening and are all lying in the harbour and no one knows when we will pull out. It will likely be tonight sometime. The harbour is full of boats of all nations. The warships are outside the harbour and cannot be seen from where we are anchored. We are anchored in the centre of the Harbor. No one was allowed off the boat and no message can leave the boat. This letter will be held for five days before going on. Mrs Capt Chenye heard we would be held in Halifax and she came down often and of course nothing doing. She can go back. There are no females on this boat so I will be alright so far. I heard there was 12 nurses on the Southland. Perhaps they may bring some out and board on this boat. It is sure a batchelors hall. The meals are good and we are well waited on. This is one time the 149 has been used the best. The 186 comes from Kent and I know nearly all the officers. The 244 Bn is Kitcheners Own from Montreal. They are all English and a good bunch. They are about 700 strong. Now I will have to close soon and will just have the trip to write about. There are so many incidents I could write books but will not do so this time. We do not see any papers, so will not know when the war is over. We expect to be two weeks going over as we only travel as fast as the slowest boat. This one can go in 6 days. Now you must now worry as I will be with so many and worry will do no good. I only wish you were with me and I could enjoy myself, but no one is allowed over now and all the officers had to leave their wives behind. I expect you wrote on Sunday and I will get it soon in England. Madeline be sure and take care of yourself and remember me to all. GoodBye for now. Your loving husband, Billie X
P.S. 3, 15. 28th Am officer on guard ship. Am going this to the pilot to mail, expect to go out of harbour before night. Will
2 While in service between the United Kingdom and Canada in April 1917, Southland was torpedoed a second time, this time by U-70; she was sunk off the coast of Ireland with the loss of four lives. (source Wikipedia).
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