BX February 15, 1917

Kitchener Boots Take Many Socks – Steel Helmet, Gas Masks and Tear Glasses Issued to Canadians

Q.M.S. Wilfred Berry, a Brantford boy, who is among the first from the 168th to be selected for service at the front, writes entertainingly to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Berry as follows:

January 13, 1917

Dear Mother and Father,

Thursday night Frank Darrow and I were in Folkestone, and on returning to camp were warned to be ready to proceed to France at 6.15 a.m., Friday morning. After parading around a little we entrained for Southampton, from where we sailed at about 4.20 p.m., arriving “Somewhere in France” at about midnight.

We disembarked this morning at 8.30 o’clock, and marched to the rest camp, from which we expect to move again tomorrow for our new battalion.

Already I have met over here Harry Booth, an old school-mate and Lloyd Drake, who is on his way to join the 60th Battalion.

Today we were issued with steel helmets, rifles and bayonets and two gas masks and a pair of glasses to destroy the effect of tear gases. We also got Kitchener boots, which are quite large, and can accommodate all the socks you can manage to send.

So far none of the boys of the 168th have been drafted to France except the four sergeants who are with me, so that we have the distinction of being the first of the battalion to reach here, Frank Darrow and E. Braithwaite are the two others from Tillsonburg, and there are two from Ingersoll.

On the march from the wharf to camp we saw a couple of fields in which the ammunition was piled about 50 feet high. Over here, too, it looks more like civilization at night as everything is lit up.

With best wishes to all, from yours sincerely,

Wilfred

Address, 2nd Canadian Bn., B.E.F., France