Date of Letter:
1917/06/17
Summary:
Melville writes to his mother from his camp in England. He talks about the hot weather, and the recent army sports competition in which he participated. He updates Jessie on his machine gun training, and also mentions some photographs he's taken with the camera he shares with some friends.
Transcription:
Crowborough Camp
June 17 1917
My Dear Mother,
This is Sunday afternoon and some of us came out to the bush back of the camp to write letters and sleep. It is the hottest day there has been since we came here, not like a hot day in Canada, but more sultry. This morning they took us over a mile for church parade, in spite of all the heat. There were quite a few that had to fall out and others fainted. After the service the Brigadier presented some Sergeant with a D.C.M. We were out from 8 o'clock until about 11:15 all over church parade. If I told the fellow that thought of it what I thought of him I'd be arrested.
Yesterday, the C.M.G.D. sports were held down in Crowborough. I got second in the high jump and the hop step & jump. On Thursday we went to the M.G. ranges. When those guns get going you would
(PAGE 2)
wonder how anyone could advance against them. We will be going again this week to fire our second part. It will be a great deal harder than the first…
Next week we go on with advanced training until we're sent to France. We will be ready for France next week but will likely not go for three weeks or a month yet.
Enclosed you will find a couple of snaps. We took them a couple of weeks ago. That one of me isn't very good but I expect to have a better one soon. In the other one you can see how I've got my hair cut off short and by the grin you'll know that I'm not downhearted yet. That picture is taken in front of our hut. The boys are all from the 164th and you may recognize some of them. I guess that's all for this time.
Love to all,
Melville.
P.S.: I haven't got that box from Gordon Joyce yet, nor the one from the High School.
June 17 1917
My Dear Mother,
This is Sunday afternoon and some of us came out to the bush back of the camp to write letters and sleep. It is the hottest day there has been since we came here, not like a hot day in Canada, but more sultry. This morning they took us over a mile for church parade, in spite of all the heat. There were quite a few that had to fall out and others fainted. After the service the Brigadier presented some Sergeant with a D.C.M. We were out from 8 o'clock until about 11:15 all over church parade. If I told the fellow that thought of it what I thought of him I'd be arrested.
Yesterday, the C.M.G.D. sports were held down in Crowborough. I got second in the high jump and the hop step & jump. On Thursday we went to the M.G. ranges. When those guns get going you would
(PAGE 2)
wonder how anyone could advance against them. We will be going again this week to fire our second part. It will be a great deal harder than the first…
Next week we go on with advanced training until we're sent to France. We will be ready for France next week but will likely not go for three weeks or a month yet.
Enclosed you will find a couple of snaps. We took them a couple of weeks ago. That one of me isn't very good but I expect to have a better one soon. In the other one you can see how I've got my hair cut off short and by the grin you'll know that I'm not downhearted yet. That picture is taken in front of our hut. The boys are all from the 164th and you may recognize some of them. I guess that's all for this time.
Love to all,
Melville.
P.S.: I haven't got that box from Gordon Joyce yet, nor the one from the High School.
Object ID:
2017.22.123
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Munro Letters: June 17 1917; Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: June 17 1917; Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: June 17 1917; Melville Munro to Jessie Munro
Munro Letters: June 17 1917; Melville Munro to Jessie Munro