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OFFICERS MESS 62nd OVERSEAS BATTALION,C.E.F.

BRITISH COLUMBIA 62 CANADA

now in France, with reinforcements, let alone forming a fourth division, & keeping that supplied. The replacements coming are estimated at from 10 to 15% per week, & you can quite realize the nbr of men required to keep pace with this awful wastage for weeks & months perhaps years.

However, much against the opinions of officials here, a new fourth division is being formed at Bramshot, & it is possible to supply reinforcements to the 3 divisions during the next few months without touching those Battalions, it will go over probably abt October -

We did our damnedest to get into it, but the "fourth" we heard was not strong enough, unfortunately -

The authorities don't know what the devil to do with the thousands of Colonels & Majors & Captains at Shorncliffe, their practically out of work & all being paid by the Canadian Govt. Subalterns are sometimes sent over.

The officers who were keen to go to the front are absolutely brokenhearted -- they have [illegible] their men, whom they have been training for perhaps 12 months, suddenly taken from them, they are left to [illegible] their heels without any hope of anything more -- they become absolutely despondent, then more or less resigned to their fate, & without ambition set themselves to enjoy loafing, & that of course results in rather disgraceful behavior, & giving them & the Canadians as a whole a bad name.

I have a scheme on, & think with a bit of luck, I shall get over -- I'm not allowed to revert to a Subaltern or to the ranks

BC Archives, MS-0089 Box 1 File 4 / GLASSFORD, Deborah Florence (Leighton). Vancouver / Correspondence inward, 1916.