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Turnbridge Wells, Kent
Aug. 15, 1918.

Dear Mr. Bonfoey,
Just received your welcome letter, with three others from home town folks all at once, while I was 
cleaning up for retreat. I dropped everything till I had read them all. You are right about your 
letter traveling some. It has been more than a month on the way; traveled over seven thousand miles; 
been re-addressed from Windsor, Tilbury Docks, the London War Office, and Hounslow Barracks.

As to how I am getting along, I am gaining weight at the rate of two pounds weekly. None of that is 
fat. They have a little practice here called route marching which is used to keep us from fattening 
too much. Then they add about eight hours of hard drill daily just for exercise. My daily schedule 
is about like this. 5:45 Revielle. Then polish belt, buttons (the British buttons are of brass and 
must be polished several times daily), shoes, bugle, trumpet, (we carry both) insig-

over.

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2.

nia, regimental badge and titles, fold and shake blankets, pack equipment, rub up bayonet scabbard 
and hilt, and generally clean up til six-fifty. Then we fall in for physical training for forty-five 
minutes. We march back, have breakfast, and fall in for morning parade. We are marched out to the 
drill grounds again where we have bayonet and cover drill, varied with short periods of close order 
drill. After two hours of that we have bugle practice for an hour. We then march back to camp and 
attend school till 12:30, our dinner hour. After dinner we have the morning programme repeated, except 
that on Thursdays we go swimming. At five fifteen we have tea, and then clean up for retreat. Retreat 
parade is held at eight o'clock. Last night the drum corps of five regiments were marched to the common 
and the ceremony held there. Sixty buglers, thirty drummers, and thirty fifers made the welkin ring. 
We then have supper at nine o'clock. At 9:30 first posts

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3.

Tattoo which corresponds to our call "To Quarters" is sounded. At 10 o'clock tattoo, and at 10:15 
"Lights Out." Then we have the rest of the day to ourselves.

This afternoon a courtmartial of a concientious objector occured. I have been present at the findings 
of two other court martials. This fellow was a drafted man and refused to put on his uniform, or do 
any drill or work. He has been tried twice before and has been held in the local jail. I took his 
breakfast down to him the other morning and went all through the police station while there. This 
afternoon the whole battalion fell in on the parade ground and the sentence of the courtmartial was 
read. He was given two years "at hard labor." The technical charge was "refusing to obey the lawful 
order of his superiors" referring to his refucal to don the uniform.

The buglers are not eligible to go out to France until after reaching eighteen years six months. But 
I hope to obtain a transfer to the American Forces in

over.

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4.

France, Co. C. if possible, after reaching eighteen, which will be next January. But until then my 
address will be:

Pte. Gay Miller. Drum Corps. 4433
Co. D. 4th Battalion, Queen's Own.
Culverden Castle Camp.
Turnbridge Wells, Kent County.
England.

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8.30 PM
16 AUG 18

THREE HALFPENCE

3.30 PM
16 AUG 18

Mr. B. F. Bonfoey
Kirksville Mo.
U.S.A.

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Return: G. Miller 4433
4th Queen's Own.
Turnbridge Wells, Kent.

W.W.I.121.47