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Date: November 21st 1918
To
Mother
From
Gordon DeGear
Letter

Ward 1
12th Cdn. Gen. Hosp.
Bramshott

Nov. 21/18

Dear Mother.

Since writing that letter to you a few days ago have had rather a dissappointment so thought it best to try to get this letter on the tracks of the other one. It appears that there are far too many men in Canada under hospital treatment that they have not room for any more. You see when they make out you Canada papers that means further treatment in Canada so now I will have to go to convalescent camp from here but no doubt will not be long in going back after being discharged back to depot, and still there is a slight chance of being on my way home by Xmas but could not say for sure and as I am B. category that means they will not keep my long over here as they are sending all B. category men home at once and believe there has been some of them have left already. I am sorry that I let you have such hopes only to be disappointed but now that the fighting is over and there is no need to go back to France I am not worrying when I go back as we will be pretty well all home by spring and would far sooner land home just as spring came in so the thought of landing in the middle of the winter is no bon. I have not had any Canadian mail for over three weeks now but had one from Mrs. May and one from Gordon in that time. A fellow told me that Douglas Laurie was in Witby and was leaving for Canada the next day and that was over a week ago and I know there has been a lot leaving for different ports but do not know if they have sailed yet or not. My stomach does not seem to be any too strong yet as when I eat meat or anything heavy like that my stomach seems to get out of order but do not get what you call sick but just feel sickly. Perhaps it is something like you had last summer and could be easily got rid of but they do not seem to take very much notice of it as I do no look like a fellow that has any trouble of any kind. What is Uncle Dick doing now that there is no more need for bringing troops over now, but I guess he will be able to grab some kind of a job out of them for the winter at least. I am going to write to Gordon today and try and find out if he knows when his chances are coming for going home but the boys in France will not start to leave till after peace is signed at any rate. I honestly believe that I would rather be in France now than over here as they still stick to this old routine which every soldier dislikes & you are not so free at any time over here than in France, of course there would be the regular work to go through over there but there is not so many horses anyway. The hospital in all in quarantine on account of the flu but still there are very few cases now but nobody is allowed out and if it ever lifts before I leave here will try to look up Gavin Smith as I believe he is still holding down his old job here and it is only a few minutes walk from here as so is Macdonald who used to work in the Bank of Hamilton. I often wonder if anything has happened to Andrew as I have not heard from him for a long time nor from Mervin either. I hope this letter will arrive at the same time as the other so you will not be so much dissappointed and after this will not rely on any more rumours and will wait till is actually happens. Hoping this finds everybody well. Love to all

From your loving son

Gordon

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