Dear Dad,
My leave is just about over. By this time to-morrow I'll be back in camp making time just as I have been since last November. Things don't seem to be moving very fast.
Before I forget, the purpose in writing at this particular time is to tell you that I am having $100.00 transferred from my account at home to the one over here. You see I have purchased a new suit which will run between $70.00 to $80.00 and I want to pay cash for it. When I have saved up that much money I'll have it transferred back.
Well, Dad, it's been a wonderful leave. I have had a lot of luck in seeing people from home. The only one whom I missed by only a day was Hank. He's on his way home again.
I'll be writing Bett a detailed account of my holidays so will just mention here who I saw - Phil, George E, Fred Cass, Helen Ellis and Grandmother R's relations in Scotland.
I missed Lorne by 35 miles and Ritchie by 2 days. I hope to see Ritch, Poke, Sam and maybe Bud from my new station.
Well Pop, how's things? Is the gas and oil end holding its own still? Give my best to Percy, How, Ches, A.P., and all the boys. As soon as we're allowed to send postcards I'll remember them all.
Oh yes, I won't be sending my watch home until the beginning of next week. I have a box for it now and will insure it etc. I won't be receiving mail of any sort - not even the letters Eileen wrote way last Nov. for about a week yet. So don't wonder why I'm not answering any of your letters.
I'm staying at the Air Officers Club in London. The rates are about 1/3 of that of a hotel and the accommodations are a thousand times better. I'll close for now. Betty's letter will be coming by regular mail due to the size of it. Will be expecting a long letter from you - also another watch which I urgently need - will be thinking of Mom this Sunday. Cheers and oceans of love,
Son
PS - Save all the letters I write and I'll not have to keep a diary - OK?
- Mom, did you get my Cable and Flowers for Mother's Day?
Dear Dad,
Sorry for the slight delay in writing but have been extremely busy. We had a smooth trip all the way and the train ride down here was simply gorgeous. Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful country. Words just can't describe it. I used to think that Fred Cass (?) and Phil were exagerrating a bit on the grandness of the English countryside but I take it all back.
The weather has been simply marvelous since we landed and everything is in bloom. Even the grass is the prettiest colour of green I have seen. No fooling, Pop, you must set aside a few hundred smackers and take a trip to England with Mom after the war.
I have decided to go to Scotland on my leave just to see the country. Then I'm coming back down to London and looking up as many as I can from home. We get a free traveling warrant to go any place in England or Scotland while on leave so I might just as well use it. I hope to see George E. on the way up.
We have wonderful quarters here and the meals are better than they were at (?Lachone?). Most of the boys I know are in the same hotel with me so we have a lot of fun. It reminds me a lot of where you and Mom, Les and hattie (?) spent the week with me last year; only our rooms are a bit nicer.
So far the only one I have caught up with is Archie and he's been plastered every night so I don't bother with him. Sonny and Lionel left some time ago. The beer here is wonderful stuff. I even passed thru' the town where Bass Ale is made - that's something, isn't it?
I have tried of the the brands and am sold on Worthington myself ahem! The pubs are open mostly all the time which makes it very handy. I don't know of anything else I need besides what I mentioned in my first letter unless it is soap. Don't send a bottle in a loaf of bread as I hear they weigh the loaves now - nor soap until I run out as we can buy soap here.
Last night one of the guys came back with some fresh eggs from the country so we had a feast at midnight. It was as much a novelty as anything else.
The tiny cargo trains (IND) over here amaze me. No fooling the freight cars are no bigger than wheel barrows. It's hard to get used to this right hand drive business - especially while riding on a bicycle. And some of the army vehicles drive at 30 - 40 MPH right through town.
Well I think I have told you about everything I can. Truthfully, I have seen and experienced more in the last 4 days than I have in the last 4 years in Canada. I must get this mailed now so Adeo for a day or so.
Much Love, Son.
Hello again,
We're still asailin' and no sign of land. However, we are due in Liverpool tomorrow morning. The sea has been exceptionally smooth all the way. Apart from being slightly constipated like everyone else, I have felt 100 percent. Just the same, the trip is getting to be a bit boring.
We spotted unidentified aircraft last Wednesday or Thursday so changed course. For a day or so, we were all on edge but nothing new has developed. Every morning we have muster station parades in case of attacks etc. The boys in our room are in charge of the scramble nets - the ladder - like nets you go down o get to the lifeboats. The drills put in an hour or so for us and also give us fresh air. The Gerrys would sure like to get this ship as she's got a lot of air crew. So you can see that the Captain has quite a bit of responsibility.
For the last three or four days we have played black jack by the hour. I'm down a little but not enough to lose any sleep over. I think we'd go daffy if we couldn't play cards.
Well, I think I'll fold this up now and have it ready to mail. Will phone Mr McCrae at once. Now for goodness sakes, don't worry about me - I'll get along. Cheerio for now.
Oceans of love,
Son
PS
- Please forward this to Uncle Carl. I'll write to Laura and Aunt Ethel.
- How's the little man behaving, Marion?
- How are my two nephews doing these days?
- Mother, I must have left those scissors in the car as they were not in that paper bag. Send them, the iron and a tube of Bachelor Shaving Cream.
Dear Mother, Dad and all,
I'll try and write this while everyone else in the room plays bingo. So if it sounds a bit screwy, don't blame me.
First of all, on behalf of you all, I'd like to wish my self a Happy Birthday!!! I bought a couple of mickeys for this occasion but think it better to keep them hidden while at sea. It will be two more to share with whoever I meet from home.
Without a doubt, I couldn't have wished for a better trip. As I said before, our train ride was most enjoyable. We even had a porter to shine our shoes at night if you can imagine it. The only tough road so far was transporting my trunk and bag etc. from the train, up the long and steep gang plank and then down into the boat.
Most of us officers were quartered in cabins but a few had to sleep up on the promenade deck. I have a swell bunch of fellows in my cabin and the cabins themselves are very comfortable. In fact, they are 1st Class cabins in civilian life.
We should be in England a week and a day from the time I wrote you the post card which is good enough for me. Tell Laura that the neighbours boy was all wrong, (Content censored)
We have been at sea for a couple of days now and no signs of seasickness. Literally speaking, I'm holding my own quite nicely. However, the sea is very calm thus far which makes a difference.
We only get two meals per day on board the ship. My sittings are at 7am and 5pm but we fill up during the day on tomato juice, orange juice from the officers lounge and chocolate bars and cookies from the canteen. It's hard to get to the canteen for the line-up, but I have gotten a carton of Chesterfields and one of Phillip Morris so far.
Most of us plan on spending our disenbarkation leave in Scotland. However, I'm not deciding on anything definite until I try and get in touch with Phil and the boys. I'll drop them all a line as soon as I land. Then it's up to them to reply at once.
Mother, I got three more suits of broadcloth shorts and another pair of brown leather gloves Saturday afternoon. We were allowed to go down town for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon.
Tell John Burke that my watch stopped the moment I got on board ship. I hope it starts again once I get ashore. If not, I'll try and get it fixed in England before sending it home. I'm sort of lost without it.
Well, I guess that's all for today. Will write more in a day or so. Just don't worry about me for I wouldn't miss the experience for all the world. Cheers for now.
Son
Well, Dad, it's been a wonderful leave. I have had a lot of luck in seeing people from home. The only one whom I missed by only a day was Hank. He's on his way home again.
