Cheltenham Camp, September 21st 1916

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you kno4 I am getting on alright. It is very wet down here tonight been raining all day, it has been pretty fine down here the last week or two. I am still learning things about rifles and the way they throw bullets about but I haven't done any shooting yet. I expect we will go down to the ranges early next week. The musketry school .will finish up next week sometime, about Thursday I think. There is a terrible swag of Citizen Force fellows down here now doing their Fortnight's training there must be about six hundred of them but they all say they won't enlist till Billy Hughes puts the hammer on them. I haven't got any mail yet the P.O. fellows at Mitcham evidently didn't send it on. I might go out and get it tomorrow night if it is fine. I went out to Gare's with Nell Simmons on Sunday and saw Berts sister. They are very nice people, but Hiss Lilley is not a bit like Bert either in manner or looks. She is a famous flirt and like most flirts seems rather proud of it. By the way I hear that another young lady who was in M.B.C. for a while lately is inclined the same way been engaged two or three times but keep it dark.

I suppose you were getting on nicely with the fallowing during the fine weather but if it was as dry up there as it was getting down here you will be glad to see this rain which I assume you are getting. We have a good lot of writing to do here every night, we get a lecture in the afternoon and have to write it up at night but we only have another lecture to come. We get leave here on Friday nights but there is no guard or anything to prevent you going out if you like only you get behind with your writing and study so I don't go out. I don't know where I will go Sunday yet I might go to Glenelg. It is now just about bed-time so I must close now. Hoping you are quite well as I am. 

I remain 

Your Loving Son and Brother

Tom.

Friday Night G.N.O.

I went out to Mitcham this evening and got my mail and was glad to hear you were all well many thanks for chocolates and birthday cards I got a card from Kathleen too. I went out to Jim Griffen's just now but they were not home, so I guess I will go back to camp pretty soon. There was a good lot of rain last night and today but I think most of it is over now. A lot of soldiers went away yesterday. How is the shearing going, do the back's ache same as ever and what sort of a clip are you getting ?

I think that is all for this time.

Tom.