Dear Rae:

March 27, 1917

I wrote a letter Sunday night when we were undergoing some of the torture incident upon a General Mobilization scheme, which is all it appears to have been. We had the C.B. lifted last night and are back into the regular routine again today. I’ve been to the ranges and believe me the equinoctial winds are cold. I hope April is as Browning describes it. I can’t remember of reading any poet who praised England’s March. He would surely be an optimist if this year be taken as a sample. But at that I have nothing to complain of. I only wear my belt on Sat. & Sundays.

I got a draft for L4, 1sh, 6d. which must be Carman’s. I will see to its disbursement and will forward it to him as occasion requires. I want my assigned pay forwarded as long as I’m in England. It helps to make things brighter to have a little coin in your jeans.

I appreciate the home papers but never mind sending Canadian Countryman. It’s too much postage for all its worth. I haven’t seen Harold Allen yet but he was at Bramshott at Xmas visiting the 160th.

I’m going to send you a photo of the Sergeants of this Battalion, 5th Can. Reserve. I was in full Heilan’ costume but you can’t see my sporran as the fellows in front obscured my adornment. I enclose an interesting extract from one of Carman’s letters while in the Entrenching unit. It’s worthy of preservation.

Love to all, Cannon.

The enclosure: P.S. This is a shield that Watkins & I have devised for the Entrenching Battalion.

"The first quarter consists of three sandbags rampant on a field of language, azure. The second quarter consists of one hydra-headed pick, couchant on a field of language lurid. Across the shield we have the bar sable decorated with gyrating trench mats. The whole is festooned with barbed wire & rosettes of bully beef tins. Underneath is a scroll bearing the legend

"Abandon soap, all ye who enter here" (CES)