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Date: April 29th 1917
To
Garnet
From
James
Letter

Witley Camp Apr 29/17

Dear Garnet:-

As it is a couple of weeks since I last wrote home I suppose you will be looking for a letter before this. I received your letter four days ago. There was certainly a good supply of Canadian mail came in this week. It just comes aabout every ten days now so there is quite a supply when it does come. The/ snow seemed to disapear pretty (quick?) Over there this year considering the amount you had. The last week or two here have certainly been real spring and everything is getting green there is quite a lot of grain up now. To-day was a ideal day, so Stuart Holmes and I took a strole out through the country to see the cites and get a few snap shots of the scenery around. I was going to have you send me over some money, but I don't know wether it is worth while now, as I haven't got much chance of getting any more passes before we go across and we get about as much as we need around camp here. If you do send any why you needn't send very much just now.

Nearly all of the artillery are going out on a three day bivoac to-night/ Some of them have gone already and the rest go some time before morning. There is about fifteen or twenty of the trench mortars going. They leave about two o'clock in the morning. I don't expect I will be going as I am on other duty this week, but I could get out with them as they will no doubt have a exciting trip as they are having a couple of sham batles. I am getting some job for this/ week.It is looking after the messing for the men and you can imagine what a bunch of men have to say when they don't get a great deal to eat, and that is quite often the case here.

Apr. 30

I didn't get this letter finished last night so am going to add a few more lines this morning as I have a little spare time to myself. The camp is pretty dead looking this morning as nearly all the bunch have gone on the trip. There isn't a gun left on the ground and very few men.

I have a few snaps here that I took a week or so ago. One of them is of the "Y" hut that we lived in for a couple of months. You can see the name on it "reading and rest room". We certainly keep its name up while we were in it for that was about all that we done. We are not doing a great deal yet although we are getting a little more to do than we did for awhile. Last week we had a course in bombing, which was more or less interesting. The bombs are very tame looking things to hold in your hand but when they go off they certainly make things move around them. I have a dead one that I got a hold of and may send it over some time if I get the chance./

I was down to the 156 lines the other night and seen some of the fellows. There is quite a lot of the battalion still in quarantine yet. The Spencerville bunch are all well. Some of them are in quarantine yet Jack Luder (?) Has the measles. Lieut McKinns has joined the flying corps now. That seems to be getting quite the rage around here lately. There is lots of spirit (?) In it but I guess I will fly with one foot on the ground for awhile yet.

Well so long for this time. With love to all

Answer soon.

Jim