Letters From the Front

Dated:

Letter from Pte. C. Wilder
The following is a letter from Pte Charlie Wilder who is now in England with the 37^th and written to his mother, Mrs. John Wilder of Elk Lake. His brother Gordon is in training with the 76th at Collingwood and brother Ellis, at Haileybury.
Bramshott Camp, England,
Dec. 6, 1915.
Dear Mother:
Just a few lines to let you know I arrived here all fine. We reached here last night after having a nice trip all the way. We had a good boat to come over on and the sea was not rough at all. We were seven days crossing the ocean.
This certainly is some country. There are nice green gardens all the way along the railway that we passed over. After getting off the boat we had to go nearly all the way across England on the train to the Camp where we are now.
I heard last night when we arrived here that there was a report in Canada that the boat we came over on had been sunk. Well, they have the same report about nearly every boat that brings troops across. There were about 2200 soldiers on our boat and we are all here at the same camp.
They say we will be here till next summer and I guess we will, because there are hundreds of soldiers here who left Canada last spring, and they are to be here all winter. Of course there is no snow here in winter; it rains instead.
I think I will like it here as it is a nice place. I saw some of the nicest scenery yesterday from the train that I ever saw in my life, and everything nice and green.
The people over here certainly cheer for the Canadians. We passed thousands of people at the different stations who were out just to holler for the Canucks, as they call us. At one big station the Mayor and his wife had a lunch with hot tea for our whole battalion. That will give you an idea of how much they think of us over here.
We arrived in Camp about 10 o'clock last night and the 35th Band was at the station to meet us, then when we got to the camp the 58th Batt. had a supper waiting for us, and this morning the 44th Batt. had us over with them for breakfast, so they are using us fine so far.
I was talking to a fellow who has been in the trenches three times and he hasn't seen one German yet, so the trenches are not so dangerous as most people think they are.
I guess it will take this nearly two weeks to reach you, but I will write often and not wait for answers, so answer soon.
Your loving son, Charlie.
Pte, Chas. A. Wilder,
A Coy. 37^th Batt. C.E.F.
Bramshott Camp, near Liphook

Hants, England.