Feb 25, 1943.

Dear Mother:

Our C. B. was lifted about Tuesday. We did not have to clean the parade ground but instead had to paint various rooms in the hangars such as locker rooms. This is being done in preparation for an expected visit by the A. O. C. Tonight we had a parade after supper as further preparation. It was rather a farce and indicated that most of the officers had forgotten most of their drill particularly the CFI who was in charge tonight for he got us all back to front.

Today was a good example of how busy one can be kept here. We have to be over at the hangars by 7:15 even though the instructors don’t turn up till about 7:45. Then I flew all morning without even time for a cigarette and logged 4½ hours finishing up at 12:30. It then took about 15 minutes to mark my time on a temporary log, mark it up on a blackboard and break the time down on an analysis sheet and get out of my flying kit. Then lunch and over to ground school by 1:30 which lasts until 5:30. Then the parade from 6:45 to 8:00. After which I suppose we are expected to study.

On the whole we have been having ideal weather. Warm and very sunny and it is very enjoyable up in the air. I have 24 hours in now and like it more and more. I am becoming fairly accustomed to all the instruments etc. and it no longer seems a particularly onerous job to look after so many. I think I am going to find they are much easier to land than the moths too because I made several nice three pointers today while practising landings at the auxiliary field and on one circuit I saw a plane off to my starboard as I made my final turn into the wind. It was some distance away so I thought no more about it but concentrated on my approach. As I levelled off just above the ground I noticed the plane had caught up to me and was about a wing span away on my starboard. I knew that I should open the throttles and go around again but my hour was up and I was darned if I was going to. Also the other plane had overtaken me so it should have gone around again also. It so happened that the other plane had an instructor in it who should have realised I would probably be green and not know enough to go around. Anyway the control tower spotted the incident and from their angle of vision it must have looked very close for my own instructor said both of us were on the peg. In addition this other instructor had no business to be at this field so he was in a bad spot however I have heard nothing further so I guess the matter has been dropped.

Another day I forgot to slam my door when I got in and just after taking off I was horrified to notice it was open about 5 inches. (The day before a chap had got 21 days CB for only taxying with it open.) Fortunately you can just reach the door but I was in a bit of a panic when it would not close at first. It took quite an effort. More fortunately still the incident was not noticed by the control tower. Don’t get the idea I am careless. I religiously check the ‘vital actions’ before every take off saying them out loud as I do them. And I have added the door to the long list which makes up the cockpit check. I have got an awfully nice instructor. He is only about 22 bet very careful. He never talks harshly as some of the instructors do but still he makes sure you do things correctly. He demonstrated low flying one day which is most enjoyable. However it is something I would not do myself without a great deal of experience for the ground really moves passed you in a hurry.

We have an indirect method of rationing butter. It is made to go further by whipping it with caned milk. You don’t notice much difference except that it is not nearly so solid and is ideal for spreading.

With love from
Tony

[Note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]