1917/06/13

Melville writes to his sister from his camp in England. He asks about his siblings, and how they are all doing, and teases them about the neighbourhood kids. He updates about the air raid situation, and asks her about an upcoming event in Pug's Girl Guide troop. He talks about his successful tryouts for an upcoming sports competition, a conversation with a Vimy Ridge survivor, and even a rescue he made to a fellow soldier who fell into a pond. Melville gives his siblings some hard-hitting advice, and includes in the post-script that an Oakville resident, Alvin Myers, lost a leg.

Pte. A.M. Munro 663550
No. 3 Co. Y
Canadian M.G. Depot
Crowborough Camp
Sussex June 13/17

Dear Pug-
I got your letter a couple of days ago but didn't write at once because the Canadian mail leaves here on Monday & Thursday and whenever I write to Canada I do it on Sunday and Wednesday. I send at least two letters home a week. Have you got that little box I sent to Edward yet. I hope it hasn't got lost because it was rather valuable.
Has Bill got her bicycle in good working order yet. I suppose she can go around and turn up her nose at Iky Thornton and McKay kids because they haven't got one. Have they got over the chicken pox yet. That box from the High School hasn't turned up yet but Gordon Joyce is over here now and I'm expecting the parcel from him any time.

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There's an air raid over some part of England nearly every day. There was one to-day over London. That's what the paper says to-night. I think there was quite a lot of damage done around London bridge. Every once in a while we are confined to barracks on account of air raids. They come quite close to us sometimes. A. M. M.

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What is an "Operrata". I bet it will be some lunch at the summer camp at Bronte or wherever you're going. It almost makes me homesick when I hear about the council treating the Girl Guides to ice cream. The stuff is almost unknown over here. The only place I have ever seen any was at London in some classy restaurant where I went with Dr. & Mrs. Fisher.
I suppose you still object to do the dishes but take my advice and don't kick at anything because there's always something a lot worse that you could do and I'm doing it every day and don't kick because it wouldn't do any good anyway.
I'm going to be mess orderly to-morrow. Tell Ed not to join the army until he has to because it's no joke and doesn't do anyone any good.

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To-morrow I go to the Machine Gun ranges to fire a M.G. for the first time. We go again next week and the week after that we are ready to be put on draft any time and while waiting we go on with advanced training. Another draft left for France last week. I expect our turn will come in about a month. There are some pictures that we took will be ready on Saturday. The C.M.G. Depot sports are going to be held on Saturday and I'm entered for the Running High Jump, Running Hop Step & Jump & Running broad jump. At the preliminary tests last night for No. 3 Co'y, I came first in the high jump & Hop-step Jump, and second in the broad jump. I have to shave every morning now. That safety razor Uncle Harry sent to me is "jake". I can shave quicker and better with it and wouldn't go back to a

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straight blade again. I got a letter from Ed dated May 6th with Bill's on the back page. I got one from Mother dated May 13th.
I wrote a letter to Jim Chisholm a couple of days ago but haven't had an answer yet. I wrote to Brock twice since I got his letter but he hasn't answered yet. I guess he's pretty busy. The letter he wrote to me was dated May 2nd and you'll find it with this letter. Put it some place where it won't be lost because I want to save it.
There was a Divisional signaller drowned on Monday at our swimming pool. He started to swim across but got cramp and went down. No one around noticed him go down it seems, except one fellow that couldn't swim. He didn't tell anyone about it until it was too late. I pulled a fellow out myself on Saturday. He took a run and jump into deep water and couldn't swim a

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stroke. He flopped his arms around for a couple of seconds or a little more and then started to go down. Someone said, that fellow's drowning, so I was quite close and took him into shallow water. I thought the fellow was trying to do some new swimming stunt when he first got in. When you get this you'll have likely stopped school and perhaps be in camp. You'll have all kinds of time to yourself so don't forget to write often. Tell Bill to write and Jess too. I wrote her a letter last Sunday.
Last night I was talking to a fellow that had been through Vimy Ridge. He said it was far worse than any scrap he'd ever been near. He also said that a Machine Gunner had a pretty fair chance of getting through the war. Quite a bit better than the infantry man. I guess that's all this time.

Love to all,
Melville

I get Oakville papers every little while.

(Written in the top margins of the first page)
P.S.: Alvin Myers had one leg shot off. A.M.M.

2017.22.122