BX December 15, 1916
Six Nations Men’s Trip to Old Land – Interesting Story of Move Over Atlantic Told by Private Enos Williams
The first letter to be received from the stalwart body of men, “D” Company of the 114th Battalion, composed entirely of men from the Six Nations Reserve, who nobly responded to the call has been received from Private Enos Williams by Mr. A.R. Hill, secretary of the Six Nations Council. Little had been heard of these men by their families and friends, who in many cases wondered if they had even reached the other side or whether they had been separated and transferred to different battalions. The news that all are well and are together, although they have been transferred from the 114th Battalion to the 35th Battalion will undoubtedly be welcome. This news, military men think, will be an inducement to more of their race to join the colors. The 35th Battalion of which the old “D” Company of the 114th is now a part, at the time the letter was written was at West Sandling Camp, Kent, England. Pte. Williams writes in part as follows:
I suppose you would like to know about my trip from Camp Borden to this camp. Well, here it is. We left Camp Borden on the last Saturday in October, and arrived at Halifax on the following Tuesday morning, after a rather tiresome trip. We had route marches in some towns in Quebec, New Brunswick and in Nova Scotia. In Quebec it was certainly some country. The roads were fine and the people – I cannot tell you what they were, for we could not talk to anyone. All they could say was “We no understand.” Their towns and villages were very odd, not like those in New Brunswick, where it was a little more like our old homes around Sixty-Nine Corners. The land was low and swampy. In Nova Scotia the towns and villages were just like those in old Ontario and everything was in fine place. The people there were also fine and certainly treated us well. Nothing was too good for us.
We went on board immediately upon reaching Halifax so I cannot say much about that place. Our ocean voyage was the best, I was not sick at all, and was up on deck the biggest part of my time. The ocean was not rough until we had been about four days out, when we encountered a storm and you can bet it was rough. The boat went from side to side and up and down, but I slept through it all, and did not worry over it.
Our trip from the boat here was fine, the country we travelled through being grand. We have not had our pass yet, so I cannot tell much about it this time, but will write more some other time. All the boys are in good shape and only a few have been turned down as not being fit. I guess I will close for it is bed time.
Your friend,
Enos
