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| | address | | address |
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| | Trooper J. Shires | | Trooper J. Shires |
| | Reg. No. 107565 “C” Sqdn | | Reg. No. 107565 “C” Sqdn |
| | 2nd C.M.R. | | 2nd C.M.R. |
| | 2nd Canadian Expeditionary Force | | 2nd Canadian Expeditionary Force |
| | + | Shorncliffe |
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| − | Shorncliffe, Kent | + | Shorncliffe, Kent |
| | Sept. 11th 1915 | | Sept. 11th 1915 |
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| | Your most welcome and kind letter received some time ago. The nice things you put in it were really too good for me but I am so glad to know you think so well of me. | | Your most welcome and kind letter received some time ago. The nice things you put in it were really too good for me but I am so glad to know you think so well of me. |
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| − | Do you know that when I first entered the Library my chief aim was to have you one of my particular friends and the time you went to the San Francisco A.L.A. I was quite lovesick. You will excuse my young foolishness I know, but I cannot help telling you. | + | Do you know that when I first entered the Library my chief aim was to have you one of my particular friends and the time |
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| − | This must be a very short letter this time as I have had no time to myself for the last two weeks and we expect to leave any moment. This is our last leave and we have all our kit ready to move at a moments notice.
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| − | I never had the seven days leave that is due me and which most of them had but managed to get four and went up to London. As you may be sure we all enjoyed ourselves – about ten of us – and made the most of our four days. It was impossible to take ina ll but we took in all we could. The first thing that struck me, was that London is full of taxi-cabs, girls and sub-lieutenants. We visited St. Pauls, the Houses of Parliament, War Office, the Canadian Pay and Record Office and saw Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and all the historical and interesting monuments. I saw our well-known streets, Shaftesbury Avenue etc. and all the large printing firms bldgs., especially the ones we know of. The Bank of England is a long low dirty looking building but at noon the crowd around it and vicinity is wonderful.
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| − | I was stopping at the Bath Hotel close to Charing Cross and one night I came back from paying some friends a visit at Upper Norwood the other boys had all gone to see Gaby Deslys I was wandering around so the manageress and housekeeper asked me into their room till they came home. I went out and bought a basket of fruit and the tree of us sat eating fruit till the others came in. The others were such big huge chaps that the ladies in the hotel used to call me “The Child,” I did not mind though as they were very good to me.
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| − | You probably know [name illegible]-Donald who was in the buildings. He is sitting at another table writing and glowering away. He seems to consider himself so superior to anyone else.
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| − | Did I tell you we were going as infantry and have been issued with the [Welb?] equipment much to our disgust.
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| − | I must thank you so much for the bundle of papers it was splendid of you to bother. I must not forget to tell you, that I am engaged to Miss Dorothy Gillingham who is at present in St. Joseph’s hospital. I can see by your letter you have guessed as much but do not think I did not intend to tell you – not a bit of it. Natural shyness scared me off and I only intended to tell a few of my best friends and you are certainly one. I met Mrs. McN[aught] on the wharf the night of leaving. She has probably told you. I do hope you will meet Miss Gillingham someday as I am sure she will like you and you her, I hope you won’t read this letter aloud. I must really hasten to a close but before doing so please accept my most heartfelt thanks for all your kindness to me since our first of meeting and believe me my dear Miss Russell I shall never forget one of my most truest and admired friends, with love and wishes, most sincerely, Joe Shires.
| + | BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 15 / RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873-1964. Victoria; librarian. / Letters from Trooper Joseph Shires, 1915-1916. |