Witley Camp

March 4th 1917

Dear Ollie:-

This is Sunday evening and I am going to try and scratch you a few lines to let you know that we are still clear of mumps but expect to come on with them most any time.  But we are hoping to keep clear of them now for it is two weeks since our last case went out and we are scrubbing out our huts every two or three days with creolin and every damn thing we own has to go out of doors every morning before breakfast but that is about all we do now.  We don’t go out at all until nine o’clock.  We are getting fat as pigs doing nothing and getting fed pretty good.  If we don’t get out pretty soon we won’t be any good for anything.  But I don’t give a damn if we only go to France but am afraid our chances are small for half of the boy plan to go tonight if nothing turns up.  That will leave about 80 of us and I am afraid they will fill our places up with a draft, but they may not. 

I had a letter from Angus last week.  They was up at the front but not in the trenches.  They saw an air fight the first day they was there and the Hun’s machine was brought down.  The Turks and Huns are getting Hell right from the word go and I hope they keep it up and I think they will too. 

Angus said they had a hard trip he was like Blackadar’s crew said about the road into the woods.  It was one damn long hill and they had a pretty good load.  We have to carry everything that we own in our pack and our rifle and ammunition and he has not done much work since we came across to Eng. for he was fire chief and could get rid of drill most anytime he wanted to and that was most of the time.  But I haven’t much to say for I did pretty good out of the fire piquet myself.  Got rid of a good many parades and he has still got his job in France.  So I suppose he will keep on having it easy.  Don’t imagine he will go into the trenches at all.  I hope not for he is not very well trained for he has always go clear of drill as much as he could.          

Well Ollie, it has been three weeks since I had a letter from home but hope we will get some mail now for Jack had a letter from Bine and Lib tonight and it was from France so perhaps we will get our mail regular now.  So poor old Sammie has passed in his cheques.  Well it is a good thing for all hands for he was no good for himself or anybody else.  I bet old Soph will do some funning around now.  I guess will have to saw off for don’t know any news so will close.  Hoping you are all well.

Major