Witley Camp

Surrey England

Sunday May 13/17

My dear Mother, Father + Carrie

               I received these dandy letters in two last Wednesday one from Mother, Dad + Carrie. I also received a box and believe me dears it was some box. The socks you sent for Murray + I just came in the right time. Those mince pies were just as nice and fresh as if they had been made the day before and everything else accordingly. I enjoyed those pictures dad sent me. I showed them to some of the officers and they agreed with me that, that was the life. I am glad to hear that such good progress was being made with the bungalow oh won’t it be great for us all dears when we are all together alone in a private house. I sure wish I were there to help but perhaps I will be able to help some after all. I have seen the interior plans but if you could manage to send me a view of the outside it would be jake.

               I am glad to [sic] you like Mr. + Mrs. Deacon so well and hope they will get along alright. I am sorry I missed the Canadian mail Thursday night. This is the first time I have missed a mail for months so I’ll just make this an old time album to make up for it. Murray and I are feeling fine; the weather here has been terribly warm and dry. But as they are cutting down on some of the hard work it is not so bad.

               Last Monday with light equipments we marched through Thursley + Elsead to Hankley commons where we put on a couple of attacks. We had our dinner out there, we arrived back about 5:30 and the remainder of the day I just loafed around, we have been here so long now and Godalming and other places make me sick so I very seldom leave camp.

               Tuesday morning we marched out to Thursley where we planned an outpost scheme which was to take place that night, it took us all morning to plan the work, positions, etc. We arrived back at camp about 12:30 for dinner. In the afternoon we did not have any parade so I just layed around, in fact I am getting to be pretty good at laying around when opportunity permits. We paraded at 7 PMN and took up our positions as we had planned in the morning. I had a dandy position in fact the O.C. pretty nearly stepped on us before he could see us and he knew just where we were located, we left there about 10 PM and arrived back here about 10:30, we had an easy time out there although a very interesting one.

               Wednesday morning we had physical drill bomb throwing + bayonet fighting but on a/c of the hot day we did not put very much life in it. In the afternoon we had a lecture on advance guard duties, after which we joined the other platoons and had platoon tugs of war our platoon pulled 9 times in succession, and believe me dears the next time anyone wants me to go in a tug of war team, they can go and hang themselves with the rope. My back felt as if one of the mules off the field kitchen had landed me one in the back. But most of the kinds are out of it by now.

               When we come in I had intended wresting but I did not feel like writing after that extension. At 6 PM we had a good concert in our mess room by a London concert party and they were sure good musicians + entertainers, but the music made me feel blue and home sick although I enjoyed it.

               We have a little quartet together again, 3 of the original Rusty Hinge + Mud Rowe another London chap who takes the lead, but believe me we cannot replace Tim because he was really the hinge of it all.

               On Thursday Morning we had parade as usual until 10 AM which consisted of platoon drill in the course of which I was called out to drill the platoon and believe me dears (what I don’t know about platoon drill would fill a book). However I got along pretty good considering that was my first attempt. At 10 PM we came in our huts, strapped on our mess tin and marched out to Thursley Commons to a brigade sports day. We had our dinner out there, after which Murray and I took our rubber sheets up on the hill to watch the sports. They had a dandy sport picked out and everything was arranged just fine The nearest way I can explain it is a great large natural arena.

               Our battalion had quite a few honors but was beaten on points by the 202 sportsman battalion. One interesting event was a mule race ridden by officers. This race was won by our adjutant and one of the gray mules from our water cart, we arrived back here about 5:30 and we certainly had a dandy good time of it, after supper I cleaned my harness, boots etc. About 8:30 PM we had a fire call. It reminded me of old Camp Borden where we were called out about every night, it was just a bush fire and did not do any damage at all.

               Friday morning we paraded at 5:45 for breakfast at again at 6:30 for pay muster roll call, at 8 AM we paraded with light equipment for a route March, which was carried out in advance guard formation, my section was used as connecting files between the Van Guard and the main guard, we only marched about 6 miles out to Lord Perry’s estate where we had a short lecture on what we had been doing then we had dinner. It is a very beautiful place and if my information is correct is valued at $925,000 so you can imagine. We did not leave there until 3 PM so Murray + I found a shady spot and got in a couple of hours beauty sleep, we arrived back here about 4:30 and as per usual I stayed in.

               Saturday morning we paraded as per usual we had physical drill and platoon drill until 10:30 AM then rifle inspection. The remainder of the morning we spent in cleaning windows mess tins etc. After dinner D.Co. payed C. Co. a game of base ball. We won 25-7 and as the score shows it was not a very interesting game. At 4:30 I got a car and went to Godalming where I met Mur, we had supper there and after a walk around we came back to campy. I thought we were going to get a good old shower there, was lots of thunder + lightning but no rain.

               To-day it is awfully warm here, we had a brigade church parade out on the hill. We were addressed by the senior chaplain of the division who was pretty good.

               I am afraid Mur and I are out of luck as far as our passes are concerned. On Monday Mur leaves for Mitget to shoot his course on a machine gun and I go to the Divisional school for Lewis Gun section commanders. They bothered about Friday so here’s hoping that next week we will have a better chance. Well dears it is so warm here that I think I will look up a shady corner somewhere and go to sleep.

               Well dears I am glad everything is going along so well at home and here’s hoping it continues.

               Remember me to all

                              Your loving Son + Bro

                                             Bob

                                             Murray

PS

Hope you don’t get tired reading this! (see I got it censored by M.J.S.)