June 7

Dear Mother

I received your cigarettes the other day. It sure was nice to get them. I never appreciated anything so much in all my life. Its a relief to have a good Canadian cigarette & plenty of them. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. We are in a turmoil here. I don't know what the scare is as far as our training goes now the second front has started. I daresay you know more details about the war than I do. I haven't seen a paper for three days, nor heard the news broadcast. All I know is what I have been told. We have two more months training yet before we can start the real thing & I am wondering how we stand. I hope we get through as I am anxious to get a crack at it. They have been flying the pants off us lately & I haven't had much time to do anything. We were supposed to have 5 days leave next week but we might not get it now. There goes my trip to London maybee. I don't hear much from the outside world, away out here. I never knew about our capturing Rome till a few days ago & that is old news now. We had a good idea the second front was starting the night before it started because of a few things that happened around here. I had a close call yesterday in one of these Wimps. We were on a cross country, 6 hours flip & flying above cloud all the way. The pilot decided come down below it. So we movd down through a hole & on our way down picked up ice. We fell from 9000 down to 1000 ft in a spin before my pilot managed to pull it out. We slipped in to base at 300 ft. spun almost to the deck & some how or other he managed to land with no instrument, flap & one useless aileron. I never knew anything about all this till we landed & the bomber told me. I cant see a thing in my compartment. The way the skipper handled that kite in a emergency proves he is a expert pilot.

I had better get cracking & write some letters as I am behind & I have so many people I want to write. Well I looks like I should be home soon now with things the way they are. I am in good health & having a fair time. My cold is 100 % better now & thats unusual for me. Johnny is still wondering where his parcels got to. Well I guess Ill have to pack up. Glad to hear you are getting my mail. Hope Marg is too. My love to you & the family Norm