1915, March 16th. Charley's 23rd letter home from France. WW1

March 16^th, 1915

France Con                         

Dear Mother           

Congratulations, better late than never.  Say Mother what Birthday is it the 42^nd or 43^rd.  Do you remember four years ago on your birthday I left for Brock Sask?  Believe me that was some experience to me.

           
Say Mother did you ever write Scammel on Edmonton and Portage about my coat.  If you haven’t I wish you would let me know in your next letter and I will drop him a line myself.  Just to remind him of it.  The pockets and sleeves were beginning to wear a little so I told him to put some beaver trimmings on it.

I suppose you have heard all about the great advance the British have been making in the past few days.   

We have been getting in a terrible lot of wounded the last week or so and do you remember the Regiment in Winnipeg, called the 90^th, well we have some of their wounded here as well as the Princess Pats.  But things in general are just about the same in this locality.  As you know it is just about the routine every day.  

I had a letter from Ina the other day and if Aunt Rache could have seen it she sure would have been surprised Did they tell you of Ina going into the city to a Hockey game.  Well she went down with Fairburn and Ireland and her were together all the evening.  That fellow Si must sure be a country lad.  But for goodness sake don’t you ever say anything to anybody at Portage because I am kind of a confidential go between to all of them.  “Do you understand what I mean”

          
They say that the Second Con are in Salisbury Plains now.  If that is the case I may be able to see J Ross before long. I hope so.

           
Well Mother as I have said in previous letters that is very hard to write an interesting letter from here.  So remember me to Dad and V.V. and write soon

Love

Chuck









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Charlie went to Brock Saskatchewan in March 1911 (to work?  study ? do survey work?  to visit relatives?)

Charley's mother; Jennie Howie / Bailey / Lloyd was born in Portage la Prairie Manitoba Canada about 1872 which would have made it her forty third birthday in 1915.

During the First World War the 90th Regiment “Winnipeg Rifles” contributed to the 8th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) on its formation in September 1914, and later recruited for the 44th, 90th, 144th, 190th and 203rd Battalions, CEF. The 8th Battalion served in France and Flanders with the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division from 13 February 1915 until the Armistice. The 44th, 90th, 144th, 190th and 203rd Battalions provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The Rifles also contributed two companies as reinforcements to the 27th Battalion, CEF. Source

The Princess Pat's