1915/07/24

In which Gordon Munro is stationed overseas and advises Jessie Munro that he and his battalion have arrived at the front. Included is a description of the local landscape; accommodations; the sound of the shells dropping; and, mention is made of fellow soldiers from home he has met on the front.

Correspondence

Pte. H. G. Munro, reg. no 47904 (Brock 47827)
No. 4 Company, 3rd Brigade
48th Highlanders, 1st Can. Cont.

July 24th 1915

Dear Mother: -

Well here I am at last, I cant tell you where or how I got here but here anyway. Wherever we go we find the Y.M.C.A. always ready with paper & cards to write with, it is certainly doing good work. The first night we landed or rather morning we had quite a march to our camp, we stayed in this camp for 3 or 4 days. every morning we went for a route march & on one of these I saw Salty Williams. He was looking fine & fat & nearly keeled over when he saw us, he is getting a months rest. We did not have any time to talk to him. The 2nd night before we left that camp, I was standing talking to a Frenchman, (you should have heard me) when up came someone & said "Hello Munro" & there was Preston Lobb. He looks just the same but seems much quieter, he says Horace Haney & alot of the Gladstone boys are over at Shorncliffe. I wish I had known sooner. I did not get any leave, but didn't care much about that. Mrs. Fisher forwarded all the letters O.K. & was very good to me. At the camp where we were last Snyder was there too & he & Scout & I used to go out by the road & talk French I guess we made crude efforts but always made anyone understand. We left there for the front & had a nice trip. The country through which we passed was very pretty & the crops were all up well & nearly ready for cutting & the cattle & sheep were all around one could hardly realize that war was on. We got to our destination & just got off the train & I heard the first boom, it was a long way off though, but it was the first & kind of made us feel creepy. We marched about 4 miles & spent the night in a big barn along with the rest of the animals, but when you're tired any place is good sleeping. Next day we came to our Battalion Headquarters & were alloted to our companies, Scout & I were separated, worse luck, he is in No 1 Co & I in No 4. There is no chance of getting together so we'll just have to make the best of it.

I suppose you will by now have got my pictures & hope you like them I also sent some books to Ed & have not yet got an answer to any of my letters but expect one every day. They say it takes about 6 wks to send & get a letter. We are billeted in huts & fare pretty well all together. We have not yet been in action, but have been rather close to shells dropping. They make a funny noise sort of like a dog whining & then Bingo, these sort are called coal boxes, you can hear them for some time before they burst, another kind of whizz Bang. the name is very descriptive. The machine gun sounds just like someone clapping his hands very fast. There are other sorts which I shall learn later, I suppose. Well I think this is about all I have to say at present & hope it gets there safely. there is lots more I would like to say but cant on account of censorship. I am enclosing a snap Charlie Snyder took of Scout & I on the Pier at Folkstone, I suppose one will be having lots of fun holidaying just now & hope pork & Margaret got through all right. Tell them if they get through I'll send them the Kaisers moustache for a souvenir.

love to all & the neighbors

Gordon.

2017.22.54