Witley Camp Nov. 30/7

Surrey, England

My darling Mother, Father + Carrie,

               Have just finished writing to Annabelle and thought would go right ahead and write home to-night instead of Sunday. Well dears I suppose you are pretty well settled in the new house by now. I am afraid dears when I arrive on the scene I will hardly know how to act but believe me dears I will make an awful stab at it. I am sure dears if there were a bridge over the Atlantic I could walk it. My walking powers seem to have no limit.

               I had a short note from Murray from London but as I have been away too I have not been able to answer it yet.           Last Monday morning we left here about 7:30 AM and we marched to Coates Castle which is in Sussex and about 22 miles from here, we arrived there about 4 PM and took up our quarters in the stable. A few of us ere quartered in the castle of the stable and we had a dandy little room, the idea of this scheme was to teach us how to survey, draw maps, road traversing, etc. and it was certainly interesting work, another part of the scheme was scouting around for billets. There were only 40 of us there so you see it was just like one big family.

               Monday night after we arrived we took a walk and found out Fittleworth was the nearest village but outside of a few stores there was nothing of interest.

               Tuesday we divided into two parties, one went to a place called Sutton and ours to a place called Bignor, we had to Billett men + horses also we had to draw a scale map showing houses sheds etc. But as each place was very small it was a fairly easy job.

               Wednesday we went out to the downs but believe me dears they should be called ups. Those hills are about 5 miles from Coates. It was just a rough general survey. As Wed is ½ holiday we were dismissed. A few of us decided to the coast to a place called little Hampton. We were about 6 miles from a station and only had a littler over an hour to get the train but we made it all right at a place called Amberely.

               Well dears to make a long story short we arrived at Little Hampton about 2 PM and had a good meal and clean up. We wandered down the promenade + along the beach but found it pretty silly along the beach in our kilts so we wandered around the town and had a good time and cheap day so we were well satisfied.

               On Thursday we went out to the hills again + made a scale survey + when I got back to camp I stayed in resting up for the 22 mile march to-day.

               We left there at 5 AM this morning + got back here about 4 PM and after a bath + supper I feel jake,.

               Well dears I guess I had better pull the pin now. On Monday I go to Camp Borden for an 8 week course and expect to have to plug pretty hard.

               Will write you again from there. Remember me to all dears with best love.

                              Bob