Date of Letter:
1917/05/13
Summary:
Melville writes to his mother from his new camp, Crowborough (England). He mentions several Oakville residents who are at the camp with him, as well as a few from Milton, and he lists their names. He also describes his six-week machine gun training course, and mentions his excitement at going to Edinburgh with some friends during his brief time off, on pass.
Transcription:
Crowborough Camp
Sussex, England
May 13th 1917
Dear Mother-
I got your letter dated April 15th, just a day or two ago- but Edward's hasn't turned up yet. Since I wrote that letter to Bill I have moved to another camp, Crowborough, about 40 miles from London and 20 from Brighton. Hastings is about 20 miles away too. A lot of the Oakville boys have come up here to Crowborough, for machine gun work. Major Chisholm will know them all, H. Hunt, A. Huks, J. Houghton, C. Hages, H. French, K. Brown, Cowan, J. W. Adair, C. Ryan, R. Wass, C. Sharpe, F. Sharpe, "Ira" Johnson, Busgurd Harker, Crosswell, Warner Boorer and myself. There are a bunch of Milton fellows too. Sergeant Ford & Sergeant Heath, Corporal Lough - Corporal Lecoug. All the N.C.Os have to revert to the ranks.
(PAGE 2)
The course lasts for about six weeks. We take a bombing course, a revolver course, a gas course, and then a machine gun course. After that we are put on draft and may go to France any time. We are going to go on pass to-morrow for six days. When we come back we get to work and they say we get a five day pass when we finish our course. Hager, French, Cowan and Roy Wass are going up to Edinburgh, so I won't be all alone. We intend to spend a couple of days sight-seeing in London. I asked our Sergeant Major if we needed to have two places put on our pass if we were going to two places and he said that we only needed to put on the name of the furtherest place away. He says them men and all kinds of funny things. We get fed better up here than we did at Otterpool, but not quite as well as we did at Sandly.
Your Loving Son,
Melville.
Sussex, England
May 13th 1917
Dear Mother-
I got your letter dated April 15th, just a day or two ago- but Edward's hasn't turned up yet. Since I wrote that letter to Bill I have moved to another camp, Crowborough, about 40 miles from London and 20 from Brighton. Hastings is about 20 miles away too. A lot of the Oakville boys have come up here to Crowborough, for machine gun work. Major Chisholm will know them all, H. Hunt, A. Huks, J. Houghton, C. Hages, H. French, K. Brown, Cowan, J. W. Adair, C. Ryan, R. Wass, C. Sharpe, F. Sharpe, "Ira" Johnson, Busgurd Harker, Crosswell, Warner Boorer and myself. There are a bunch of Milton fellows too. Sergeant Ford & Sergeant Heath, Corporal Lough - Corporal Lecoug. All the N.C.Os have to revert to the ranks.
(PAGE 2)
The course lasts for about six weeks. We take a bombing course, a revolver course, a gas course, and then a machine gun course. After that we are put on draft and may go to France any time. We are going to go on pass to-morrow for six days. When we come back we get to work and they say we get a five day pass when we finish our course. Hager, French, Cowan and Roy Wass are going up to Edinburgh, so I won't be all alone. We intend to spend a couple of days sight-seeing in London. I asked our Sergeant Major if we needed to have two places put on our pass if we were going to two places and he said that we only needed to put on the name of the furtherest place away. He says them men and all kinds of funny things. We get fed better up here than we did at Otterpool, but not quite as well as we did at Sandly.
Your Loving Son,
Melville.
Object ID:
2017.22.114
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Munro Letters: May 13 1917: Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: May 13 1917: Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: May 13 1917: Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: May 13 1917: Melville Munro to Jessie Munro