1 1 April 1917 My dear Minnie, Just a birthday letter and I hope it will arrive
in time. Many happy returns of the day. Here I am
now with the 2nd Batt so address my letters
accordingly. This is a totally different kind of
place to any I have seen out here before. Of
course it would be as we are in a different
country. We are out in huts several miles
behind the lines and you would not know
that there was a war on at all unless you were
told. I do not know how long we will be
here as but when we do leave it is to go
further back from the line so I do not expect
to be in the trenches for some time. There is
no necessity for me to write every day and
there will be nothing to write about. It was
a long journey up from the base and for
some unknown reason they brought us
round in a semicircle. The journey occupied
altogether about 54 hours. I arrived with the
battalion at 4 am this morning le Luckily
I met some other officers who were coming 2 here too and they knew the way. There was a
cart for our kit at the station. We had about
5 miles to walk so when we got in it didnot
take me long to get to sleep. It was lucky
that I had lots of grub for the train. One
fellow had a tommy cooker (which I forgot
to get) and I had lots of Bovril so we
made it but we had no water that we
could be sure of so we made it with Vichy
water. It is some thing like soda water
but went very well. This place is very
clean and dry. The roads are all paved with
big paving stones. The lane into the camp
is the only bad bit we met at all. There are very few here whom I know
except some who got their commisions
lately from the ranks. The C.O and
seem very nice as indeed does every one. We are near some good towns so I
do not think I need any parcels at present
as we can get most things. I will write
and let you know if there is anything
I want but of course I have not got
settled down properly yet as I have only
been here a few hours. 3 The train we came in had only two speeds
slow and stop! and it usually went at
the latter speed. but it was quite interesting
in the day time. It stopped for hours in
some places but one never knew when it would
go on again so could not get out though
I would very much like to have seen
some of the places we passed thro'.
I would have nearly had time to go &
see Charlie Davison but had no idea
how long the train would wait. Certainly this is a very quiet place. Far
different to where I was before. Jack Day
must be somewhere about here I think.
Also Dick White.
We have a nice sitting room here with lots
of papers etc to read and nice tables to
write at. I am writing this in it. You see
how far back we are when we can do
that. I do not know when the letters come
in or go out or anything here but they do not
got ti go till evening sometime so this will
go today. Be sure and tell me how long
it takes my letters to reach you I am beginning to forget the numbers 4 of my letters already so dont be surprised
if they go wrong. However I will try to keep a
note of them as it is a very good check. I may be near where Garrett is too but
if so he is not near where you thought he was. I met Major Hume Kelly down at
the base the other day. You remember he
was adjutant of the camp I was at before There is nothing more to say that I
can think of at present so with very best
wishes and with best love to all Your most affec brother Willee. P.S I did now find the little girl at Havre
as she had gone to Rouen and I had
no time there. Wasnt that bad luck.