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Date: April 1st 1917
To
Hazel
From
John McArthur
Letter

Witley
April 1/17

Dear Hazel -

This is April Fool's day but I don't intend this for that kind of a letter. You see this is Sunday and we are in quarantine so I decided to write a few lines to let you know of our predicament. McAlpine, of course, had to get the mumps and as a result we were all moved into the quarantine camp and will have to stay here for twenty eight long days. It is quite likely that someone else will get the mumps just when we are ready to get out and we will be here all summer. It is great you know staying here and letting some one do the fighting for you and all your friends getting killed over the channel. However it seems to be our fate that we are never to see the "line" so I guess it won't do any good to worry.

Alex Newton is one of the guards around the huts here and he is teasing me all the time and wants to know if he will write home and tell you all about it. I told him that he didn't need to bother but he will likely write just the same. He is a good kid allright and vastly different from his big brother.

Lee is back from the hospital now and is feeling pretty good. He was just down to call on me and says he is getting sick leave to go to Edinburgh. I wish I were going with him as that is jake place to go to. Perhaps we will get leave when we get out of quarantine - I hope we do.

Well Hazel dear there is absolutely no news to write about and there will be less - if possible - next time I write. I only wish we were where I could write something that would be a little interesting anyway. Here I can only write about myself and that wouldn't be very interesting to anyone.

Well I must close

With lots of love
Jack

PS. Don't forget address Signal Section 134th.
JAM

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