Letter to Mother - TN Wilmot
Saturday 06 September 2014
Sept 6 1914My dear motherMany thanks for your letter. I was awfully sorry to hear about the black cow it must be a terrible loss just now.What are the chances of enlisting in England? I don't want to enlist out here as there'll be no chance of seeing any service let alone Canadian company. Write as soon as you can as if the chance are any thing at all I'll enlist in England -- but if I can't enlist in England I will out here -- it will be better than nothing. Mrs Coates (her father is a retired Colonel in the Indian Army) advises me to go to England and join the regular army as through influence I might easily get a commission. But there's not much influence in the family now is there? I'd do any thing for that but do rather think the chances are small. If ever there is a chance of getting anything I'd do it -- but if you don't think I can I'll join out here. I do call it bad luck -- of all places to be stuck in at this time I should say the Canadian prairie is the worst. Anyway I wonder what the chances of joining the regular army are. I should'nt be surprised if this war went on for some years. As far as I can make out England will want every man she can get.Hugh Rising shot a pig belonging to a Fin[?] here the other. They have been let loose and of course eating up everything. The day before I shot one through the hams with a rifle but Hugh made a bad shot and hit it clean through the heart the pig dropping dead directly. I rushed up to stick it but there's not a spare moment to dress it in so we shall have to haul it out on the prairie. We expect the Fin up here any time with a knife because they are terribly dangerous people to deal with.Any way do write and say what the chances are to enlist I'm absolutely mad to.Your loving son Tom