Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment February 20, 1920 Shelburne, Ontario

Ray has requested a transfer from The Shelburne Garage back to Teeswater due to ill health in the family. His boss describes him as "honest and industrious".

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment March 19, 1920

Ray runs into delays with the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment February 9, 1920

In 1918-1919, 350,000 men return to Canada and start looking for work. Ray is among the last to return. The Canadian government provides some money for Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment and Ray seems to have started his vocational retraining. He now wishes to work for his older brother,  Ernie Jackson, at the Gray-Dort Garage in Teeswater, Ontario.

The War Is Over and Ray Is Home. Now What?

The  war is over and Ray is home. During the time he was away he wrote to his girlfriend from Teeswater, Norma Skilling, and carried her photograph in his breast pocket. Unfortunately none of these letters survived, except a small scrap of paper with a few Valentine's Day verses sent to him by Norma.

Norma Skilling
c. 1916

Letters pertaining to Ray's re-establishment into civilian life will be posted as well as a short biography of what happened to him after the war. 

July 3, 1919 No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, England

Ray writes to his mother from No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, England. He expects to take the next hospital ship, The Essequibo, to Portland, Maine.

The Essequibo

April 4, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Still frustrated by the delays, Ray writes his mother about how he is filling his time.

March 23, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Ray writes to his older brother Bert wondering if the farm has been sold yet and impatient with the pace of the military procedure here. The last page (s) are missing.

Postcard from Hector King

March 20, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Ray writes to his mother about her listing the family farm for sale for seventeen thousand dollars. He complains about hanging around the military convalescent hospital and debates the wisdom of just leaving, and forfeiting his pension and future army medical benefits.

February 20, 1919 Military Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom

Bored but hopeful, Ray writes to his mother about his progress at Woodcote Park.

January 24, 1919 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

Ray writes to his older brother Bert about his eagerness to get back to Canada, "the dear old land of the Maple".

November 25, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

Ray writes to his mother about his progress and ability to use his arm now. Ray has met a fellow from Lucknow who was not as lucky as he was.