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Date: August 26th 1918
To
Mother and Father
From
Walter Liddiard
Letter

No. 31
Witley Camp
Aug 26/18

(Monday)

Dear Folks.-

I am writing this Monday night instead of Sunday this week. I went to the Y.M.C.A. last night, Dr Hynett was the speaker and he sure was good, gave a very interesting address. The soloist, [?], was great, one of the best I've heard she had a swell clean voice I sure hear some good singers and speakers over here. After the service, Mc Caffrey, one of the boys in the hut and a mighty decent fellow, and I went to the moving picture show, the second I've been to here. It was fine, they put on a five part picture, called "Transgression" featuring Earle Williams, one of the best American actors, which was very good, and two long comedies which were not at all bad.

In the afternoon I went with [?]. Brown, the one playing the fiddle (?) in the picture, to see a friend of his in the hospital.

In the morning at the church parade, we had the C.R.A. band out, it was their first appearing appearance and they certainly did well. you are at, you're a church parade now." then in an [?] "you wouldn't think so to hear me."

We have lots of little jokes here, we had a physical training ([?]) instructor who always got mixed up when he wanted to make what he thought was a funny remark. For instance one Monday morning we were all pretty dead and weren't putting much energy into our drill, he got rather sore and said "you guys haven't enough energy to break the rice on a skin pudding" Another time when one of the boys had been fooling a bit, he said "Well I guess every clown has its own circus" and again "stand steady, you're standing easy not at ease" I suppose you know Dad when we get the word "stand at ease" we spread our feet and put our hands behind our back and stand steady, while at "stand easy" we can roll around anyway.

I often see Maple's bus around here ma, they must deliver goods all around this district with their own vans. I hope that next picture I sent you didn't scare you ma, I wondered afterwards if I aught to have sent it to you, it sure is an awful looking picture.

Jack Jameson is still in hospital haven't heard from him for several weeks, but he was getting along all right then, guess he will be out of the fighting this year and I guess there won't be much and I hope none next year The news from the front still looks good.

I sent a view book of Godalming to you the other day, hope it arrives alright, they will be interesting to me after the war is over.

I also sent that souvenir match-box, I promised [?] Dad a long time ago, I have been trying to get a better one but couldn't get one. You can see not it works. Its just a souvenir and will be handy, it prevents the match box from getting [?].

Well I must close now. Am in tip top form as usual

As ever, your loving Son

Walter

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