Lieut. G.S. Andrews, R.C.E.

"I" Branch,

Canadian Corps H.Q.

C.A.S.F., Base P.O., Canada.

England, 23rd March 1941.

Dear Jean:

Your letter of 23 Feb came along yesterday - which was small - that's not bad time, exactly 4 weeks. I can hardly hope to get another this coming week, altho' it is possible. I think the fastest [?] [?] come have been 3 weeks, Having them addressed as above helps out a lot. They come direct now from army post office. Forwarding from an old address always always seems to take endless time.

You seemed a bit tired in your last letter - and I'm afraid you have been working too hard - You must be careful dear - your health and mine are going to be so important to our enjoyment of life when we are together again - we must both try to preserve our energy & capacity for happy activity because we will have some last time to make up when this is over.

There is very little we need here from home outside of cigs & tobacco. We have had plenty of sugar tea etc. A tin of Nestle's powdered coffee is rather a treat - and a small tin of powdered milk. There is one thing you could send sometime, not for me, but for the fine old lady who is our billetess - Mrs. Morris - that is a tin of canned lobster! Just a small one. The civilians here don't get as much as the army - and the [?] old lady remarked the other night that she would so much enjoy a bit of lobster - I was quite amused, but I can appreciate just how she feels - just one of those tit bits that she is very fond of - and simply can't get it. Actually I am in my good health.

It would be lovely of you to send us a can of lobster we can't get it any longer. We are very very happy with your Gerry & I only hope some day we will see you too. Very sincerely Helena Morris.

As you see, Mrs Morris, who has just come in, and I told her I was asking you to send a bi of lobster - so she has asked if she could write a note about it [?]. I think I told you that the tin of Dixie arrived safely about 2 weeks ago.

Am interested that you met Mr. Turnbull, he is an admirer of F.G. Mulholland - and he is of course a politician, but a nice man - I never knew him intimately -

Yes, before this reaches you, I shall have been away from my wife & baby a whole year. As with you, it seems like no time at all in some ways - in others, it seem like ages. One thing that has helped so much to shorten the time and the distance between us, is your fine fine letters - they are the big thing in my life now - You have made me feel that I have really been near our little baby who is growing so marvellously - Isn't it wonderful that we have her! In many ways I have had much the easiest part in this business - because there is a great deal to occupy our mind s- and energies - the weeks seem more like days - the only time that it seems long is when your letters get held up for an extra week.

We had a grand experience during the week. The Rt. Hon. Mr. Bevin, came down to the corps as guest of the General, and spoke to the officers & men. He is a personality - It is a wonderful thing to realize that statesmanship is the keynote of the leaders of the British Labour Movement. I am sure that Earnest Bevin will be a key factor in Britain's winning this war, and when it is won, he will be even more important as a bunch of the readjustments & reconstructions to follow. In appearance he is big and powerful of physique and looks like a battle scarred old warrior - in his face is strength and stability of character - and a shrewdness that helps one to understand how he has been more than a match for not only the rash & violent elements of labour, but for the shake confidence of the British upper crust! It is to be expected that two such MEN as he & Churchill should be drawn so close together in a time like this. Bevin reminded me a great deal of Uncle Ashton Andrews. Both true aristocrats.

We have had some nice days during the week - of course the weather always fickle - but the warmer sunnier days are becoming more frequent - and more potent in sunshine and warmth.

Am very busy working up some real stuff in my own line - and believe me, the things I realize I ought to do & work up are going to keep me on my toes - at last I really feel that I can grapple with my own special kind of problems.

Heaps of love to you both - and I hope my letters are reaching you safely.

As ever-

Ger.