Last night we left Quebec between 12 and 1 A.M. While opposite the city a motor launch came out with a message and took back any letters or cards that were handed them. The city on the cliff side, the guardian of the St. Lawrence river and in fact one of the strongest fortresses in Canada, looked very beautiful in the darkness The twinkling lights here and there with any occasional broad beam of light shooting into the darkness reminded one of the farewells of dear ones gradually fading away in the distance.  

May 8^th  

We had a very quiet trip down the river and out to sea. On this day we saw the last of our dear Canadian homeland. Cape Race (Newfoundland) was the last of Canada’s shores to gradually fade away into mist and finally to disappear from view altogether.  

Who of us will see these shores again?  Who will clasp the loved ones in our arms again. Some of us, yes.  Others, yes and no. No, not in this world but we love to think that they will in the next.  What is in store for us in the meantime? Such are the questions that each man asks himself as he, with others, crowded at the stern end of the good ship Metagama watch the homeland fade away in the distance.  

May 9^th  

To-day the ocean is a little on the rough side. Some of the men are sea sick, but so far I am all right and am enjoying the bracing air and the novelty of thing to the full.  

Several large icebergs ,one a monster in size (about the size of liner) and many large pieces of ice pass the ship. At one time the pieces were so thick that the liner had to slacken speed considerably.  

Many gulls hover around the ship and seem to take things as though the liner was one of natures own mammoths.  

We all gathered on the main deck to-day and service was preached by our chaplain Capt. Kidd. A service at sea is a very impressive sight.  

As evening approaches a fog comes on gradually getting heavier. This is in all probability due to the number of berg and cakes of ice that we have been passing during the day.  

May 10^th  

There was not a sign of a gull all day to-day. On questioning one of the sailor’s as to the reason, he said that it was very seldom that a gull was to be seen much over a hundred miles from land. There were an amount of small birds very similar to a Canadian water bird which is commonly called a bell-diver. This bird was not only like the bell diver in size and colour but resembled the actions of the former bird also.  

Towards evening the wind gradually got up til it was blowing a gale, the sea rising with it also. The latter change caused many chaps to be sea-sick as the liner was pitching some through a very steady (? **bout **)  So far I have managed to fight off the sea-sickness, although I didn’t like the nasty smell of tar and paint that pervaded the atmosphere of the forward cabins.

May 11^th  

It has been a very miserable day today; not only was it windy and stormy but very foggy as well. I stayed on deck all day as I saw that that was the best way to fight off the nausea of sea-sickness.  

The report went round to-day that a couple of whales were seen spouting, but I did not see this novelty myself.  

I (?****) every day, whether fine or otherwise on our passage over in being  devoted to sports, such as boxing, wrestling, playing bull in the ring etc. In the evenings we enjoy ourselves waltzing and shuffling to the tune of the bagpipes, bugles and the trumpet, bugle and drum band that are taking the trip with us. The latter belong to the 5^th Can. Field Ambulance. There are also some trained nurses on board with us, who are going to a stationary hospital somewhere in France.  

May 12^th  

The wind and rain of yesterday kept up all day to-day but in the evening and first part of the night it gradually died down.  

To-day a great many sea-gulls were seen showing that we could not be far off land, if the sailors statements re gulls was correct. We later learnt that we were off the western coast of France, well down the coast line.  

I was slightly sea-sick to-day but was not affected enough to make one vomit, though I rushed into one of the lavatories to be out of sight and got my mouth in shape to vomit, but that was as far as it went.  

May 13^th  

To-day the sea gradually quieted down till towards evening it was nearly calm.  

The Colonel has been very sea-sick to-day. It was regarded by some of the men as a joke, though (? Home) for him, as he is such a large and powerful man.  

Several sailing vessels were sighted to-day. Many of them in all probability were French colliers.  

Late in the afternoon we all stripped in the dining room and were medically inspected as well as having what is known commonly among the men in the Army as, Short Arm inspections.  

May 14^th  

We learned to-day two things: one that we had been in the danger zone for the past two days; also that we were sailing up towards merry England off the French coast.            

Every person by this time had become somewhat tired of our trip across the sea, and we were not a little pleased to learn that in all probability we would be into port on the morrow.

May 15^th  

Some of the men did not turn in “on hearing the day before that in all probability we would be into port early the next morning but those of us that did were aroused before 4 A.M. with the word that we were being tugged into port. By 4.30 A.M. we were in alongside the wharf.  

After hastily packing my things I rushed on deck and found that we were into Devonport. The town adjoining is called Plymouth.  

We were all very much interested at some of the sights.  There were war-ships of all descriptions, besides a training ship for sailors was anchored in the port. We hadn’t seen anything but water for the last few days and the green grass with trees and bushes just beginning to blossom strong recalled to mind Grandmothers reference to England as “the Pretty Garden.”  

At 9 P.M We all en-trained and pulled away from the port for we did not know where.  

May 16^th  

At about 3 A.M. just as it was beginning to break day we were being rushed through London. We passed over streets, sometimes seemingly over house tops, under streets and through tunnels. The different sights ways and the differences in transportation facilities kept our minds busy though it was a very long and tiresome ride. Finally we arrived at what was to be our training grounds in England. This was known as West Sandling Camp about two miles from the pretty Channel town of Wythe (Hythe) 

While marching into the training area I saw the first aeroplane of my experience. There were two of them flying around overhead. They seemed very much like giant birds skirting the clouds.  

We were taken in among a regular colony of huts and after some lengthy deliberations we were gradually numbered off and allotted to different huts. We found on entering that each hut would hold about thirty (30) men.