May 26, 1943

Dear Mother:

Yesterday we were told our postings and I am getting the G.R. course O.K. But here is the disappointing part—no leave. Six of us have to be in Summerside on June 5. There is one other chap from B. C. so he and I will probably leave here Saturday night and spend a day or so in Toronto en route. Our class has been very widely split up but all postings are east of here. An unusually large proportion are going as elementary instructors, a fair number overseas, two to a Canadian O. T. U. and some to a naval air gunnery school, etc.

The last two days have been very slack—an hour’s drill in the morning, that’s all. This suits me well for I have a touch of tonsillitis again and I spent most of yesterday in bed. I am much better today and am certainly not becoming a hospital case this time.

As a matter of fact I was flying this morning. I hadn’t much choice in the matter for I was up with the chief flying instructor. Three of us have had to go up with him to pick out the best student in the class. You see the amazing thing is my flying marks are rumoured as being the highest. I don’t know how they figure these things out—I am sure there are lots that can fly as well as I. Last week all of us had interviews with the squadron commander and his aide to decide more or less where we would be posted and oddly enough in that interview they said my flying had slipped at this school. This was an unexpected remark for although I didn’t think I was above average I certainly didn’t think I was below. My elementary flying must have been very good. Also in the interview they said my precautionary landing on my wings test was not good. I did not know what to say to that because I was not given such a landing on my wings test (I told you before my wings test was very short) and although the flight lieu who tested me had cooked the records I did not want to get him into trouble. (Nor did I want to do the test over again). I mentioned my interview to another student and exactly the same thing had happened to him and he mentioned it to his instructor. So I think both of us were marked on our general flying rather than on the ptler [?] wings test.

I am staying over for Sunday to go on an immense buying spree to the tune of about $150.00 I suppose at the expense of the government.

The G. R. course is nine weeks. When it is over surely we will get some leave. We will be due for annual leave by then besides embarkation leave.

I am enclosing my bond application so that you can get the bonds out of the bank and put them in a safety deposit box. If this is not enough authority let me know and I will write the bank a letter.

I will write again on Saturday and let you know my new address.

With love from
Tony.

[Note: Transcriptions provided by collection donor.]