1st Scottish General Hospital
Aberdeen
Aug 21/ 17
My Dear Betty:
Five weeks since I was wounded & I am doing famously was up for the first time on Friday afternoon, & yesterday I spent the afternoon on the Beach, Aberdeen reading - sleeping & watching the ships & the bathers - to day some one is coming to take me a motor ride & to tea - so you will be pleased to know that I am reaching the convalescent stage, you would laugh to see me hobbling around with my two big, thick sticks - Have received no further letters from you & am anxiously waiting to hear how you are etc, sence receiving the news of my being wounded - I think that it will be six weeks or two months anyway before I join my depot at Bramshott & possibly longer - however I am not worrying about that, & shall be quite content to stay in England, now that I have done by bit in France, (my pen had given out out on me) But I am very glad that I have been there - I would have hated to have stayed in England all the time. Have you received the money yet? How's Billy getting along? I do hope & pray that he is better I don't think I could bear it, of anything happened to him while I was away, or Shirley for that matter, though she seems pretty rugged.
I suppose it is the summer weather etc children generally are a little out of sorts during the hot weather. We are having a great deal of wet weather over here & I believe that it is the same in France, which makes it hard. I am still hoping & half expecting that the war will end this year - won't it be great if it does - It will seem too good to be true, to be on ones way home again & then the landing home, one hardly dare think of it. I do not think that I shall bother the Baptist Churches of Manitoba very much when I do return, & if I do ever take a church again, it will be on far different understanding than ever before.
One who had come through this will never be satisfied to go back to the old order of things, & will refuse to stand for the sham & unreality of which we have seen so much. I have not heard yet what you think of the farming scheme? 160 acres free grant with $2500 of a loan at 5 % & then I suppose one can homestead 160 also - You will likely be speaking of it in the letter I have not yet received.
If I were you I'd just let those people go their own way (Falkners, etc) & as to the phone, when you hadn't one they got along without it, in fact they were talking about getting one in, so now I would not oblige them - for you know it is strictly against the rules to let other people use the phone & when I return I don't think I shall be able to be decent to them, & I'll certainly shut down on the running in to phone. I wish I were there if only for five minutes - To think that while one is going through worse than hell for them - they should treat you so.
Well dear I must close again I hope you are all keeping well, kisses & hugs & bestest love to you self & the kiddies God bless & keep you dear ones.
Yours lovingly
Will