This letter sounds a bit more ominous even though for the most part Jack sounds pretty upbeat. It’s hard not to be affected thinking of these men heading off to fight battles where so many people died and were injured. I’m assuming the next letter I read will be when he’s overseas in the war zone.

20th August. Tues (1940)

Dear Percy and Edna

Here is the nuisance again, I have not much to do right now, so thought I would drop you a line. I have just had another inoculation, so am entitled to a twenty four hour without dusty. This is the fourth inoculation and one vaccination I have had so far, so I should be pretty much immune against any disease that may come floating around.

At last I found Bill Harris, and I guess I must have passed by his tent a thousand times and didn’t know he was around, but by having his number which you gave me, I was able to hunt him up in a few minutes. He is just the same old Bill, but he is getting plump, he sure looks fine.

Bill had I had quite a time, talking about everything I certainly enjoyed myself. You know how he talks and since he joined up, he has an added Army vocabulary which sure sounds descriptive. On the whole it was big treat listening to him.

Just now Bill is working in the quartermasters stores so doesn’t have to drill very often which suits William fine. It would be hard to find another job, more agreeable to him, which suggests a lot if you know Bill.

I haven’t as yet been able to hunt up C, Robinson, but Bill tells me he is doing fine and has gained weight enormously, so therefore the army life must suit him fine.

Have you heard that Robert Moody is going to be married? Bill showed me a letter he received from him, and by what he writes, she is one in a million. Perhaps you may see him, and he still is in Currie Barracks.

We have been having gas drill lately, and it sure gives a guy a choking sensation to put on the gas mask, especially the first few minutes. I have been trying to get leave to go to Calgary, but can’t manage to get any more than three days, which should hardly give me time to get up there for any length of time.

Probably you will have thought that I have been a little neglectful in not writing you sooner, but we have heard for the last two weeks that we were moving, and I waited to see if these rumours would materialize, but I think this will be the last letter I will be writing in Shilo, so I’ll write my new address on the last page.

Sorry I haven’t any more snaps to send you, I have some films waiting to be developed, and as soon as we get settled I’ll fix them up and send them to you.

We had a rare treat yesterday, Gracie Fields, the famous English singer, sang for an hour before the thousands of troops, she sure is wonderful, and I’m glad I heard of her before I left camp.

Well Percy and Edna I’ll say so long now as it will likely be a long time before I see you again, but I’ll still keep on dropping a line o matter where I go, so as Gracie sang on Sunday, I’ll say, Wish me Luck as you Say Goodbye.

As Ever, Jack