R.90468, #3. P.R.C.
R.C.A.F. (CAN) OVERSEAS.
C.H. Callcott

May 1/43.

Dearest Dad.

Hello (Pop.) how are things on that side of the atlantic; I sure hope you Mother and Betty are in the best of health and that every thing is going smooth between the CO, and you, I thought I should address this letter to you and then write one to Mother separate, I hope you received my cable alwright, as I am going to make it a practice to send one to you Mother and Betty every Month, also am sending one to Mary the same and then if you don’t happen to receive my letters you will know I am alright and thinking about every-one at home, at the present time I’m on seven days leave and of course you would know where I would go to first, you are right, to Uncle Colin’s in Romford. I arrived here day before yesterday (Thursday) and am having a swell time, only there are so many relations, I’m kind of mixed up on them all but will get them all straight before I leave (I hope) When I got to London (the big City) I sure had a job to get out to find the proper train to Romford. Boy those underground tunnels sure do get you dizzy and do those trains go fast, Uncle Colin and myself, sure have been doing some talking and I was down helping him do some work today and of course I’m on his pay sheet, we were putting up benches for a (Govenor) as it’s going to be a war factory. I’m also going to go with him tomorrow so that the job will be finished, well Dad, I’m going to have a game of darts so will finish this tomorrow. Well Dad this is the evening of another day, Sunday. I didn’t get up very early this morning as per usual, 11:00 bells. But Colin and I were at work by 12, so that wasn’t too bad, sure seems funny to be on leave and then go to work and get pay for it, amounts to over 50 cts an hour not bad “ah,” but being I don’t know this city very well and that Grace goes to work it’s the best thing for me to do and enjoy my self at. I also got weighed today and I tip the scales at 9 stone 3, so I’ve gained a few pounds since coming to England even if I was in the hospital for eleven days, Romford is a very pretty city but the Jerrys have done a lot of bombing here, also as I came through London you could see were the bombs had smashed the buildings down, also where the big fires were but the people sure do clean the mess up in a hurry. I was fixing a couple of pens for Gracie and Marg. Yesterday also fixed my own but it’s not very good yet, as you can see, but writes and that’s the main thing, we had a steak pie for supper and do I ever drink a lot of tea about 12 cups a day and large cups too, boy will I ever be an old tea granny when I get back to Dear Old Canada. Mary will have to have a pot of tea on all the time. Where I’m stationed isn’t very far from where you went to this boys school, that’s what Colin tells me, the one where you could jump out the window into the Channel. While I’m sitting here writing this and smoking an English cig, I was thinking about the sweet Caps. I sure hope you can arrange with the Imperial Job, Co. to have some sent to me on that tax free business, and I will send you the money for them.

There is sort of a carnival on here at Romford and Grace and I went over last night but as its’ been raining for the last couple of days it was too muddy, to walk around very much, so we just came back home again, anyway I’m still not good enough with the money over here to fool around, with those people at the fairs, you know with those chance games. Colin has the photo of you hanging on the wall, the one where you had taken when you was in the lodge, and those pictures sure make a fellow homesick, the same as today we went in for a light lunch in a Cafe and I’ll be doggoned if there wasn’t a Canadian program on the radio and they played “Mary” but maybe I’ll get over it. “I don’t think,” I haven’t read a paper or anything, so don’t know how the war is going. Boy does Colin ever look like you, also in his talk and nature, I guess that’s why he and I can hit it off so well even when we are working, but I don’t think I could get along so well with Hugh, as he is more of Berts type of a fellow. I’m supposed to go to his place for a few hours tomorrow, but will leave it until tomorrow as Colin and I want to get this rush job under way, I think when I’ve finished this page I had better stop as it will get tiresome reading this. Mary has some nice kittens here, and they sure are chumy, if you could arrange to send me a pipe, I would be pleased also some razor blades, but I think I’ll smoke a pipe some to save a few [?] on the side as cig. Are so much money.

Well Dad I figure this is all for this trip, will write to Mother and Betty, when I get back from leave, so send my love to them, also if Mary isn’t receiving my letters be sure to let her know I’m O.K. and true to her, so “Bye” (chin up) for now. Love to All.

Your Loving Son.
Cliff.

P.S. I’m sending a box home also one to Mary but have to find out from Grace and Mary what I can put in them, but there is sure to be some holly in it.

So Bye Again. Keep smiling and I’ll be home soon. Love. Cliff

Callcott C.H.
R.90468. R.C.A.F. (CAN.)
#3 Persenal. Recieving Centre
OVERSEAS
ENGLAND

[back of last page:] Send a few snaps as I have not got very many in fact just four