who gave us an invitation to take Xmas dinner with them. When we told her we could not go She asked me to get word to W. Fletcher & another. I got word to them but on Xmas morning both were put on duty. Half of us took leave at Xmas & half at new year so that most every one left home had to do duty. There was a fine dinner on Xmas day lots of Turkey, Pudding & apples, nuts, oranges, rasins, to eat & cigars & cigaretts to smoke & a non alcolic beer to drink there was the same kind of a spread on New years day. When I got back from my Xmas Leave I had a hard time as the other cpl Dwyer. & the two L. Cpls Worth & W. Barlow were all away also all but 1 of the no 3 sergents leaving only myself & 1 sergent to look after all details & find men for the different duties. & amidst it all a lot of whiskey in camp. On Jan 2 I had to take over Co. orderly Cpl. duties a hard deal as I have done it 3 times & a lot of cpl have never done it (reason given they were over looked) the real reason is they are not up to the job & thus the sergent has to stay & do it, where as if he has a competent cpl willing to assume the responsibality of making men do such fatigues as are called for, the segt is off all but a half hour or so during morning inspection. I go off duty to night at 1045 & shall be real glad to be through as Orderly Cpl for a while.

BC Archives, MS-0426 Box 1 File 5 / TREGILLUS, Frederick James, 1862 - 1962. Barkerville, miner. / Correspondence from Ernest Seeley, 1915 - 1919.