Whitley Camp

Surrey April 17/17

My dear Mother, Father + Carrie

               Well dears we are still in quarantine. Murray and I are feeling jake, but a trifle stale after being locked up for a couple of months. We still have until the 26^th to put in here and I think we are all clear now as far as anyone else catching it.

               It is rumored here that we are going to leave the camp sometime next week and are going to put in three weeks or a month under Cannoo (?) at a place called Canterbury before we go over to France. Of course this is all rumor and we generally believe about a quarter of what we hear so you can take it for what it is worth.

               We were on machine gun work all day yesterday which consisted of about one hour’s drill. It was a pretty nice day so we took advantage of it by laying around in the bush. We had a written exam on mechanism last Saturday. The papers were examined by Mr. McLaughlin the brigade machine gun officer. I am glad to say that Murray headed the class with 99-100. The lowest marks made were 67 and the average was 86-100 so I am kind of stuck on myself as an instructor.

               Last night we played the signalers a game of foot-ball beating them 3-1 and lucky to say I did not get kicked in the shins to remember it by.

               We were ordered to be ready to go to the miniature ranges to-day, that is the class. We were waiting all morning but as no one came down for us we just loafed around the hut and had arguments on general subjects “ it would amuse you to hear some of the arguments which are carried on around here.

               I am anxiously waiting to hear how things are progressing at home and I will also be glad to hear when you will have everything in shape. So you all will not have to work so hard.

               The allies are certainly making great head-way over in France just now and I cannot see how the huns can expect to stand up against the odds now. It seems like a useless fight for them now and the sooner they come to terms and end it the better it seems for them and believe me dears I will not be at all disappointed when they come to their sences.

               Remember me to all

                              Your loving son + brother

                                             Bob