Letter hand written by Sgt. McLay with pencil on green paper, likely written in 1915 from date on a Field Office Post stamp on the envelope.
Envelope is small rectangle with brown stained edges and has hand written on front centre the receiver’s address reading from top to bottom: “2 Billingham St, (?) , Somerville” in pencil, and “Mr C. M. Hamilton 60 Chestnut St. Cambridge Mass USA.” in pen with the strikethrough done with pencil. Two ink stamps also on the front near the top left, one black circle stamp from the “FIELD OFFICE POST 3.X.” with date in centre of circle and faded but likely reading: “10 NO 15” being 10th November 1915, and one red triangle stamp with British crown in centre and text around reading: “PASSED BY CENSOR NO 921″. The back of the envelope has written on top centre in pencil and pen “Sergt E McLay”.
Rectangle paper letter is greenish-brown with hand written text in pencil and is 3 pages in total with only writing on one side of each page. The text of the letter from the first page reading from top to bottom are:
“Sergt E. McLay 22612 no 4 coy 48th Highlanders of Canada 3rd Brigade 1st Can Division
Dear Beau: –
Well old pal how is tricks & have you got a kink in you neck looking at ankles watches & such like oh mush. I didn’t sleep well last night to begin with there is eight of us sergts sleeping in a 6 X 15 hen house with brick walls & a concrete floor, a bunch of officers cooks & below us & cook right in front of our door & they wake us up every morning at 5 & their damned smoke blows right in our dwelling house but apart from that we are all O’K. Had a rather dirty spell in last time as it rained all the time & the trenches were muddy as hell, oh I forgot to tell you I had a dream last night. I dreamt I was in hell you jumped in to shit up to your neck. Then the devil came along with a big scythe & said duck you bastards duck & you imagine the rest. I didn’t stop long We were in a trench that was bad for enfilade rifle fire I was going down it one night about 11 o’clock & a bullet went through the tail of my overcoat just missed my leg & I stood there cursing that particular Hun & another one came along & struck a sand bag about 2 m. above my head I moved on they were getting closer all the time so I side stepped so as to speak following the lines of your excellent advice, the trouble is they were so damned quick that you don’t side step untill its too late. I think Fritz is just fed up properly with it, it keeps him busy on his trenches & we shell him day & night so my opinion is that he sick of it for his guns hardly ever reply. we are billeted along side of a big battery that pounds away at them day & night & that helps to disturb my rest I am going to get a battery of 12in guns & plant them in the field when I get back & have them pounding away all night so that I will be able to sleep well so long old boy be good keep your nose clean & your stocking Pulled up & don’t lose your virginity. Ed. ”
Service Record: https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=161421&ecopy=532667a
