Enlistment

September 30 1918

Dearest Ada,

We just got shipped some new soldiers, young boys really, from Valcartier not too long ago, to join our battalion. Sitting here with a few of them in my trench, I can’t help but to be reminded of when I signed up for war. 

As I’m sure you remember, it was all the craze. I, along with thousands of other men, swarmed the recruiting station, eager to get our names in. Not so much anymore, as the government has to turn to conscription to ensure there are enough soldiers. 

Because of the vast amounts of soldiers dying here on the Western Front and not enough men voluntarily enlisting there is no choice but to do so. Now, the strict regulations of before have been bent in order to let more soldiers in. After all, we all thought we’d be done and home by Christmas. It has now been four very long, hard years and I’m just aching for this to be done with. 

Your loving brother,

Grant

“Enthusiastic Reaction to War.” Canadian War Museum. Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.warmuseum.ca/‌cwm/‌exhibitions/‌guerre/‌reaction-war-e.aspx>.

Highlanders Marching to Valcartier. N.d. George Metcalf Archival Collection . Canadian War Museum. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.warmuseum.ca/‌cwm/‌exhibitions/‌guerre/‌photo-e.aspx?PageId=2.A.2.c&photo=3.C.2.h&f=%2fcwm%2fexhibitions%2fguerre%2ftraining-val-e.aspx&p=1>.