Witley Camp,
Dec. 31.

Dear Lillian:

I received your letter of the 10th this morning. We have been busy all day. This morning most of us were issued with any clothes we were in need of. I got a new uniform as my old one was a little tight. Then church parade. After that we had to get ready and fall into heavy marching order carrying everything in the pack, also two blankets. That kept us until dinner time and at two p.m. we fell in again for a muster roll call. Every man in the battalion had to be present to answer his name. After that was over we had a kit inspection. It was supper time when we finished. I had planned on writing a lot of letters today and I hope I won't be interrupted too much this evening. I want to go over to the Y.M.C.A, tonight to hear one of the chaplains, but it is raining now and unless it clears up I think I shall stay home.

I had a letter from home a few days ago and one from Frank Cook the same day. I have answered both of them. Frank said he was going to Halifax for Christmas. I suppose he had a great time. Tell Jean Gass that I received her letter day before yesterday and shall write her soon.

Well, we are nearly ready to leave, and I think the rest of our time here will be a matter of days rather than weeks. No one knows when we shall leave. I am glad that we are all going together. We got a big draft from the 219th to bring us up to strength. Any of our men who were unfit for the front were sent to the 219 and the batalion moved to Bramshott camp yesterday. Our band went too, but I hope that we shall be able to get them over to France later on. Church parade this morning was very tame without the band to play the hymns.

I went over to see Roy Gass night before last but they told me that he was away on pass. The last letter I had from Cecil he said that his hut was quarantined with mumps until Jan. 2. He expects to go with a draft as soon as the quarantine is lifted.

The papers came today with your letter. Thanks. I received the box as I said in another letter also the one from home. The only parcel that hasn't come yet is a pair of socks that Isabel wrote that she was sending. I am pretty well fixed in that line so don't mind if I don't get them for a while. We don't take our kit bags with us and everything has to go in the pack. So with the exception of socks I shall only take the things I absolutely need.

I shall write once more anyway before we pull out from here, perhaps a good many times

Lovingly,

Reg.