April 3, 1943.
Dear Bill', I guess you are wondering where I am now. We arrived at Camp Shilo last Thursday. I knew we were going when I last wrote but thought I shouldn't say anything. Most of the fellows went down to the station and rode on the train but I and six or eight other fellows were paraded over to the sergeant's quarters and we had to swab and scrub the floors. Then we rode in an open truck to Shilo and it was a cold journey. A jeep with an officer in it drove in front all the way. One place the jeep looked as though it would be submerged in water. You ought to see it skim through water.
As we drove to Shilo I could see planes taking off and landing at a nearby airdrome.
We reached Shilo in due course and immediately went into the kitchen for supper. After that to our huts. There is quite a change as we have to go to another building about a hundred yards away where we wash and shave. These are summer huts but according to some of the dates I have seen written by former residents they were occupied in December. The huts have three stoves, one coal and two wood burning.
If I remember correctly I only introduced Dad to one fellow at the train station, George Macknack from Cupar. The other one's name I could not remember.
The fellows in camp speak about the labour situation. One said that half the crop was not threshed in his district as they could not get teams. They will be threshing and seeding at the same time this spring. They said farmers had been protesting about the labour shortage and there would likely be quite a few released for spring work.
So Bartons and Wheales want me to visit them on my next leave. It looks as if my next 96 will be taken up by visiting as Mr. Binnington said they wanted to see me too next time I am home.
Hoping you are all in good health
Your loving brother
R.A. Nevard
War has all kinds of unintended consequences, I guess.
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