The Munro Letters 1914 - 1917 : Letters Home from the Front - World War I
Date of Letter:
1917/05/02
Summary:
Melville writes to his mother from his camp in England. Still under mandatory quarantine (with the other newly-arrived troops), he hopes it will end soon. He talks about how nice the weather has been, and how much he's enjoying his current map-reading course (which is very interactive with the local terrain). A recent field trip to Aldington proved a great success, which he excitedly shares the details of. He misses home and his family.
Transcription:
Otterpool Camp
Kent, England 2/5/17

My Dear Mother-
We are in Otterpool camp still, in quarantine. We expect the quarantine to be lifted in a few days. The weather here has been fine ever since we came, and there hasn't been a rainy or disagreeable day yet. We are not allowed to go out of our own camp area except when on parade. I am taking another Map Reading course now and our instructor takes us all over the county. Yesterday we went out all day and took our lunch. We went to the little village of Aldington, about 3 miles away where there is a very interesting old church. It was built in the thirteenth century and Erasmus, a great Dutch student, preached there for a year in 1511. There is a graveyard outside and the pulpit is carved most beautifully. We scarcely saw any civies all day yesterday, but saw a girl dressed

(PAGE 2)
in men's clothes ready to go out into the fields and work. Things over here are very dear. You pay a shilling for a large loaf of bread, a penny for a bun with no sugar in it, a penny for a box of matches that they would give away in Canada, and you get two small biscuits for a penny. You couldn't get a piece of chocolate now for love nor money because they have just prohibited the use of sugar in chocolate. The meals we get here are barely enough to live on and I have always a hollow feeling and wishing I had some of the dope I turned my nose up at when I was at home.
I just got your letter about five minutes ago. Tell Pug I will try and get something for her when I am on pass and something for Bill's birthday too, if I have enough money.
I have volunteered to take a machine gun

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course. We go on pass as soon as we are out of quarantine and then take a six weeks course. After that we are ready to go to France anytime. I wrote a letter to Mrs. McIntyre telling her that I would go up to see her. She answered right away and told me to come along when I was ready. I think I will go up to London for a couple of days and to Edinburgh for the rest of the time.
I guess that is all the news this time except that the yellow flower is a primrose. I picked that leaf of holly from a tree in Aldington church yard.

Your Loving Son,
Melville.
P.S.: You can send a box as soon as you like. Chocolate is very acceptable. M.M.
Object ID:
2017.22.113
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Munro letterMunro letter
2017.22.113b May 2, 1917 (p.2) - From Melville Munro To Jessie2017.22.113b May 2, 1917 (p.2) - From Melville Munro To Jessie
2017.22.113c May 2, 1917 (p.3) - From Melville Munro To Jessie2017.22.113c May 2, 1917 (p.3) - From Melville Munro To Jessie