Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
Date: December 22nd 1916
To
Lillian
From
Clarence
Letter

Witley Camp,
Dec. 22, 1916.
Dear Lillian:

I wrote Aunt Bessie a few evenings ago so it is your turn tonight. Your letter of the 4th and Aunt Bessie's of the 7th came today also one from home mailed the 7th. The box came today too and everything in it was lovely. Thank you all very much for everything.

Letters usually come in bunches, and I seldom get one at a time, but sometimes don't have any for ten or twelve days. I forget whether I told Aunt Bessie whether I received the snaps of you and I. They were in her last letter.

I thought I had told you that the parcels you sent me aboard the Olympic were delivered alright. I am using the Gillette blades now.

Ralph Wilson isn't with B. Company now and I seldom see him and don't want to. He was quite a nuisance after I found him out and was always squealing out of all duties. I won't bother giving him your message.

I have only received one Standard. You wrote one time that you had sent some Chronicles. I suppose they are in the Army P.O. still. I found a Saturday Evening Post in Godalming last week and bought one. It was the best reading I have had since we came. I don't care for most of the English magazines.

Kingston O'Donaghue gave me a Christmas booklet tonight that his mother sent me in a letter to him. I don't remember if I told you that I had a letter from Isabel recently. She sent me a pair of socks, but they haven't come yet. She told me that battery of artillery that Lawrence is with and I may see him sometime.

We have made a little preparation for Christmas. The mess room is being decorated with greens and I think we shall have as good a dinner as the boys had last Christmas in the armouries. Turkey and plumb pudding are on the menu I think.

Christmas eve the 85th is having a smoker in the mess room and the 185th has been invited. On Christmas night they are having a concert or some kind of an entertainment and we have been invited. Nearly every evening there is an address or concert in one or both of the Y.M.C.A. huts and sometimes there is good singing and music. I go sometimes when I have time. Last night I was on picquet until after eleven o'clock and have to go again tomorrow night. We are duty battalion for the camp this week and every night seven parties of twelve men each under a sergeant and corporal patrol the roads to keep order.

Usually there isn't much to do and last night all we did was to help a few fellows into barracks who were too full to come in alone. The picquet seldom arrests any soldiers, unless they can't be taken in and put to bed.

I have to shine up my brass tonight so must get busy. Shall write Aunt Bessie and home in a few days.

Lovingly,
Reg

Original Scans

Original Scans