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The Canadian Military Heritage Project
WW1

WORLD WAR I LETTERS OF THE DUFF and MORRISON FAMILIES of SASKATCHEWAN

These letters were genereously submitted to The Canadian Military Heritage Project by Lilian Ione Heselton and they are copyright to Lil. They may not be used without written permission of the submitter.

These letters span the years 1914 to 1918, and were written to Lily (Richey) and John Morrison at Yellow Grass, Sask., and their little 4 - 8 year old daughter, Jean (in later years called by Reché). Their hired girl was Lena.

642 Bathurst St.,
Toronto
April 18, 1915

Dear Lily,

Just a note tonight to say how much I enjoyed your & John's letters. While we miss our boy very much I can assure you I would worry a good deal more about him if he were not such a good boy. And I do not think he will do a weaker boy any harm, he is always trying to help the other fellow. It is certainly a world war. How ever it ends & when, it has made every one sit up & think a little more than usual & not before it was time. We are all just a little careless. I am glad you had a visit from Rose. I had mother up to see her a few days after Rose came home. Harry & Florence were there too. Their little girl is a dear.

What do you think? I expect to be a grandmother in a very little time. Florence is going to the hospital and Alex will come home for the time. I am very anxious about her. Mother is failing quite a bit, does not seem to stand much strain of any kind. Will be 79 next Sunday, her eyes are better than mine, she reads all the war news & remembers it too.

Little Jean is certainly growing & will be lots of company for you. Now Lily I find letter writing hard. I hear from Gordon almost every other day, he writes a good letter as a rule. I do not know whether Louis Duff has left Winnipeg yet or not. There are 38 men from our church gone now & so many of the students. Now Lily I will end this now sending love to yourself & Jean & kind regards to John.

Tot

Dibgate Camp,
Shorncliffe,
England
29th June 1915

Dear Aunt Lily,

Just a line to let you know we arrived O.K. and am well. We had a glorious trip across the water, fine weather and comparatively calm sea. Only a few of the 2000 on board suffered from sea sickness, as for myself, I was really sorry the trip was so short, 10 days from Montreal to Plymouth. Plymouth as you know is one of the big naval bases and the harbour was alive with all kinds of fighting craft. The port itself is beautifully situated about five miles up the sound.

We left Plymouth about one o'clock noon travelling by the Great Western Ry across the South of England as far as London, where we switched on to the South Eastern and Chatham Ry and made for the south coast. Our camp is seven miles west of Dover on a height overlooking the sea. We have two very pretty coast towns close by, Hythe west of us about an hours walk and Folkestone, a popular sea side resort, east of us a couple of miles. On a clear day the coast of France shows up very plainly. Submarines and Torpedo Boat Destroyers are patrolling the sea all the time. Aeroplanes and dirigible balloons are a common sight.

We thought we were training pretty hard in Winnipeg but we are going at it even harder now. About another four weeks and they figure we will be fit for the firing line.

Well, I must drop a line to Birdie so will close hoping you are all well and that the crops are coming along satisfactory.

Remember me to John, Jean and Lena.

Love to all,
Lou

28th (North West) Battalion,
2nd Canadian Division
Otterpool Camp, Kent
21st Aug 1915

Dear Aunt Lily,

Received your letter, also John's enclosure and snap of Jean and her little playmate.There is sure a big improvement in the lad since I saw him in Moose Jaw, he will be just fine company for Jean. Well I have sure had some seige with my ankles, exactly one month in the hospital. I arrived back in Camp on the 1st of Aug with my ankle anything but strong so I got a 10 days sick leave and went up to London for a "quiet time". Well it is certainly a wonderful old city and although I was handicapped with a bad ankle I managed to see a good many interesting places, such as Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Crystal Palace, Tower of London, St. Paul's Church, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, etc., etc. The wax figure exhibit, etc., etc. Too numerous to name in fact. So you see I didn't have my quiet time. I arrived back in camp a week ago but have not gone on parade yet, my ankle is pretty weak yet. I expect to be on light duty around camp for the next week or so. By that time we will be figuring on striking camp and pulling out for "Somewhere in France" or the Dardonelles. The first week in Sept. is when we expect to move. Will close for "the noo", hoping you are all well and you get the crops in safely. Had a card from Cecil saying he is away west again.

With love to all,
Your nephew,
Louis