A.B. John T Gray
V50267 HMCS Huron
c/o F.M.O. c/o N.S. Halifax

Dear Mother;

As you can see by my address I am at last back in Canada. Had I been lucky I would be on a train now nearly home, but as usual, I am not at all lucky. I have to wait until second leave. That means I will be home in a little over a month. That is for certain, no doubts at all.

It feels good to be back in Canada again and to know that I will soon be home, ma. I hoped I would be home sooner so that I could help with the hay but now that’s impossible. Anyhow, I will be able to do some hunting when I arrive. Also, it will be cooler. Where I am it’s plenty hot enough. Especially after the cooler weather overseas.

It seems funny to be able to buy nearly anything you want to eat and wear without going through a lot of red tape. You don’t notice how nice Canada is until you have been away for a while.

Do you know where Mary is now? The last time I heard from her she was in Galt. Ont. but she expected to leave about now. I have only heard from her once since she joined the Navy.

Is Jeanie anywhere near the fire zone in Minto? I was a bit worried as it sounded as if the fire was really grim there. I hope she’s O.K.

Please excuse the pencil. It’s too hot to try to write in the mess so I am writing this letter in a motor-cutter suspended in the air on davits. It’s easier to write with a pencil here.

Tell Huldie and Jeanie that I am back and give them my address as I would like to hear from them.

By the way, if you should by any chance see a photo of the maritime sailors on the Huron and I am not in it, don’t feel too badly. I was ashore on duty when it was taken. Well I must close now.

Your loving son
John.

[Editor’s note: The letter was dated from the envelope’s postmark.]