This is a letter from Jim Paterson (John Cannon and Carman Stothers friend) to Steve Stothers (my grandfather)

Regt no 681015

No 8 Company, 5th Can. Res. Btn.

West Sandling, Kent, Eng

Dear Steve:

I was very glad to get your letter the other day.  As you appear to be doubtful about just what I am doing and where I am.  I will explain, when our battalion came over here I was selected for the first draft for France, but the Doctor rejected me on account of my feet and I was put before a medical board who placed me in Category B.2 which means duty at the base in France or Instruction duties in England.  So I have been employed as a musketry Instructor since, but I am still in Carman's battalion and with him most of the time, although I just don't quite wear the kilts as often as he does.  There are all right in many ways but "awfa caul" on others, although today I very nearly gave some English Tommies (in school were I am at present) a severe shock by putting them on as it is a very cold, wet day.  However, your knees get like your face or hands and you never feel the cold.  In fact I feel warmer with kilts than I do in pants with underdress on. However, it's all a matter of taste, but in the Battalion the keenest ones for them are generally the English or Canadians (no shame).

At present I am at Hythe School of Musketry taking another course in Musketry and Machine Gun so when I get through I ought to know how to shoot Germans.  The hours are not so long.  We rise at 7 am breakfast at 8 and parade at 9am until 1 and then from 2.15 to 4.30 but your evenings are generally very much taken up writing out notes and lectures which you recieve during the day.  There are four of us from our Battalion here so we rented a nice furnished sitting room for the evenings where we can go and get heat and light and comfort to study & write.  The Barracks is not quite a model place to study in (fancy me studying, I thought I left school 14 years ago)

I just came back about two weeks ago from a holiday up home & enjoyed it to the full & did not like the idea of coming back again to three boards for a bed after having a good feather one.  However I suppose it's all part of the game.  This leave was to make up for the one I was called back on when the boys were home with me.  I saw quite a few friends of the boys who were all asking for them.  It was very sad about Stewart Bremner as he seems such a young kid.  This is the boy who is behind Carman in Photo Postcard.  They have called out another of my brothers the married on older than I.  So they now have four of us in the Army.  I saw my  youngest brother (who was in Canada with me) when I was home.  He had just come out of hospital after over two months in it with a poisoned knee.  From all accounts he was lucky in saving his leg and all and certainly to look at it they must of carved it up pretty well.  At present he certainly has no knee for kilts.  He is presently on light duty but expects to get sent back to France very soon again.  The second youngest is still going strong in France & it will soon be over two years since he went over.  The fourth is going into Transports.  You will think this a family history I am writing.  I never said anything at home about kilts to the girl or sisters & had one laugh on them when the met me at the train.  What they said, well I will perhaps tell you later on.  Anyway the girl refused to walk with me at first but it all comes in time.  Cannon has some photos of himself in kilts which I have no doubt he will send along. 

As regards myself I had some taken when home & left "mas" address for one to be sent on so you will be able to compare knees for yourself.  Of course I am not quite so swanky about the feet as J.C. ( I mean as regards "spats" )

Perhaps it is not correct to tell tales out of school.  However the first time J. C. put  the spats on he had some difficulty in padding his ankles for them as they were a shade wide.  Of course my trouble is I can't get them big enough to cover my arches.  I will need to try a pair of corn socks.

Well I will be glad to hear from you at anytime & remember me to "mom" Jessie, Ike" Rae & all the rest of my friends.

Kindest regards, Jim.