Letters From the Front

Dated: June 28, 1917

A letter received from Stephen, son of G. H. Fitzsimmonds, Anderson's Corners, written from a troop ship or crossing the Atlantic, states the trip was unpleasant. The boat he was on was large and accompanied by three other ships and the cruiser. He gives a routine as follows:

We get up at six, breakfast at seven fifteen, physical exercise parade at 9, assembly call at 10, dinner at 12, parade exercise at 3, supper at 5, and, as a rule, assembly call at 6, the rest of the time we sleep, read, write, eat or play cards. There are about 140 men in our room, the air is changed by electric fans and air valves. We sleep in hammocks which are in the evening attached to the ceiling, they are long and narrow, each man has one of his own and with his blanket is quite comfortable. We get a good meal, canned rabbit, chicken, plum puddings, fruit, etc. We never get stews like in Montréal, it is an agreeable change. We are now in the war zone and four destroyers have joined us, they are small, but believe they can travel some, and keep changing their position with every little while, with the result we are traveling in a zig-zag course. We have to wear life belts all the time, except when in bed. Tomorrow we hope to land but don't know where they're taking us. Orders have been issued we are to take 24 hours provisions in our kit bags, so we expect camp will be some little distance from the port where we land.

Your son, Stephen