There are lots of good [?] [?] here [???] & I want to take them, & if I [?] high I may manage to get a good job over in France. A war Staff Course is just about to start to follow the 3 months course, & last week 30 names were called for from the [?] to take an Exam (equal to the final at the end of the 3 month course) the best 15 to take a 6 week Staff course. I [?] had the 3 months course, but I thought "nothing venture[?] nothing won" so I applied. I I was the only one from the 63rd applying I got in as one of the 30 to take the [?] competitive Exam - Well, I got all the notes, from a war I know, of the 3 month course, which he took when he went through it, & I [?]ootled at how for 2 days in fact tried to do a 3 month course in 6 hours.

Well, but I [?] we had the Exam, & I did fairly well, & there is just a chance that I may be one of the first 15 & still I hardly dare hope to be. If I am, then do well in the Exam at the end of the course, I've got something to go upon It may be followed by a 6 weeks course in the trenches of France.

6 June 1916

Since I wrote the above quite a lot has happened their has gound[?] quite a different complexion as everything[?]. First your uncle no doubt be pleased but very surprised to hear that I came and Top in the Exam & I start the course tomorrow. As this Exam is for the whole Division here I'm very pleased. Secondly at the end of last week there has been a denial[?] of a scrap & we hear there are 12000 Canadian [?] this of course [?] up the 4th Division, they are calling [?] an the Battalion in it for reinforcements which are being worked over immediately. This could have happened to us even if we had managed to get with the Fourth so it was only a case of being broken up a month either by not getting in. Today we have heard news of the death of Lord Kitchener [?]t following. the not very satisfactory moral battle worked this week a bery[?] long bleek week indeed.

BC Archives, MS-0089 Box 1 File 4

GLASSFORD, Deborah Florence (Leighton). Vancouver Correspondence inward, 1916.