Shoreham Camp, England

August 7/17

Dear Mother,

Just a little note to let you know that I am well and all right in every respect. I wrote to Father on Sunday but thought that while you are up at Bass Lake it would be better to write directly to you every week. We have had frightful weather so far this month. It is not raining to day but is dull, damp and misty. The changes in temperature are very sudden: for the first few days, especially at night time, it was quite wintery  then, yesterday, it was close almost to stifling; to day again it is cooler.

All he machine gun infantry drafts are still hanging around. We are doing a good many fatigues with occasionally some drill bombing or bayonet fighting. Yesterday a party, including Dorland and myself, were telegram delivery boys for the camp. Even with six of us we were kept pretty busy as there are hills all over the camp and some of the addresses weren’t very close.

The other night i leaned that Fred Soward had arrived in camp and so went over to the signal lines to see him. We had quite a talk. He told me that he had been hearing from you regularly. I thought he looked very well and that he had changed little. Wilfred I haven’t seen for over a fortnight, several times I have gone to his hut, be he has always been out. I had a long letter from Aunt Mattie a few days ago which I must acknowledge as soon as possible. There is a big stack of letters, some from fellows in France, which out to be answered so the more time I can get off parade for the next week the better. Don’t worry about my going to the infantry. The only thing that worries me is that I am afraid I won’t be able to go to France at all and at times I chafe at being idle so king.

With much love both for yourself and Marion,

George