1st Corps Field Survey Co. R.C.E.
C.A.S.F. Base P.O.
Canada
England, 8 Sept. 1940.
Dear Jean:
The week just passed has been a very busy one - working day - night on some conditioning - and now I am blessed or amused with this job & keeping the men's canteen in a sound financial position - Now that I have the audit done, a new and more systematic system of keeping their accounts in shape, it should only take me the one day now & then to keep it under control.
No letter from you this week, but I rather expected a gap after getting so many the previous week. I had a letter from Mary Garman with the pictures of Mary E and Malcolm - These are great. They are a great pair - and must have no end of fun together.
On Monday I was on quite an interesting trip down into Kent - when so much bribing is supposed to have been going on - and yet I saw nothing to indicate any damage, except at one spot where a house had the glass blown out of the windows - I didn't even see the crater - As you know from the radio and the papers - bombing has been intensified recently - and it is a beastly business - but the more they bomb, the more determined our people seem to be to keep up their courage & determination to tough it out and eventually strike back at Hitler. This aspect of murderer [?] appeals to me as most despicable and rotten, when innocent civilians - children, women, old men, and young boys - factory workers - are exposed to attack as mercilessly as the fighting forces. What terrible weapons "civilization" has brought us - that in the so-called civilization of Hitler - Surely we must crush it - never has brute force availed itself of such brutal and powerful weapons - The only way we can save time civilization is to meet the devils with their own weapons - beat them at their own game - How monstrous is modern war which makes the sky - one of the most beautiful and heavenly features of our world - into a source of death and destruction. I sometimes look up into it at night, when the drone of German bombers can be heard - see the searchlights [?] probing fingers converging on a spot - and beyond see the stars of the [?] - still - cold, unchanging - in their age-old arrangements - looking down as it were ironically - at times like this it makes you wonder what stupid things men are in their ghastly doings - what futility - It may be that it is only this way we can grow and progress - I guess the stars know the answer - and then when the sound of distant thuds reminds you that bombs have fallen somewhere - I realize that as humans - we must excel all others in this art of destruction so that we may thrust aside those who promote this thing for their gain - so that humanity may enjoy the sky by day or by night without fear: and the galaxies moving across the vaulted heavens can look down and say "You have done well little men to eradicate that wit, and profit by your science and craft to ascent nearer to us, in your aircraft - one peaceful purpose".
I guess that sounds nuts - but there is plenty of stimulus to think a bit - and philosophize too -
Had a letter from Axel Kinnear - he is trying to get himself adjusted to army life - and I can appreciate how he feels - will drop him a line - and I can appreciate how he feels - will drop him a line. Doug MacDougall also wrote - one of his typical "stimulating" letters. We have had official advice that my transfer has been approved both by the Canadian and the British authorities - but that some details have to be cleared up before it becomes effective.
Let me know if you have been getting your remittances from me. Hope you soon will be able to report construction started on the house.
Lorne Swannell is away on a detachment but will be returning to his H.Q. up street later. He and I are trying to wangle some leave together - may go up to Scotland.
Well dear - there isn't much to say - till next week - A big kiss & hug to both of you - and all my love -
As ever -
Ger.
