No. 87

Capt GS Andrews, RCE

Survey Directorate

HQ Cdn Corps,

Canadian Army Overseas.

England, 2 November 41

Dear Jean:

Here we are, into November, almost started on another winter. And Moscow hasn't fallen yet, neither has Leningrad. A year ago, it seemed that I had been away from home a long time, but it doesn't seem so long now, maybe were over the hump, its been fun to think anyway that our separation is more than half way run, and that the time when we will be together once more is getting nearer as each week and each month goes past. One thing, we seem to keep busy, and the time flies.

No more mail, and your parcel still has not put in an appearance. However, at last I have an explanation for your birthday present never reaching you. I got a letter from the store where I bought it saying that they were waiting for me to arrange payment for it, and that the parcel was still not mailed. It appears that my cheque got detached from the various invoices, export papers etc. and arrived in their Accounts office with no explanation. In the meantime their export dept kept waiting for my payment. Have it all straightened out now to their complete satisfaction, and according to them, their parcel should be in the mail now. So it may reach you in time for Xmas. I hope you won't have any trouble with the Customs people, and you should be able to prove, with my letters that it is a gift from me to you.

Yesterday I sent you a remittance of £20 through the Army Pay Office, and it should reach you before mid December. Would like to have made it more, but it takes time to accumulate. Out of this I want you to take enough to buy Xmas presents for you and Mary. If I should see some little thing I may send it along as well, but I think it is foolish to send expensive things from here when there is so much risk of it going astray. I have had no acknowledgement that the last remittance of £30 reached you safely. Perhaps you did so in your letter of 15 Sept of which neither the original nor the carbon has reached me. However no doubt you have received that by now, because it was sent from here before the middling of August. Will try to send you some more next month if I can to help out with the insurance premium due to the Confederation Life on 2 January.

Have had some relaxation during the week. Went up to town on Wednesday evening to see the film "49th Parallel", which I enjoyed very much indeed, although I thought the sequence with Leslie Howard up at Lake Louise was quite overdrawn. I also got myself a very nice pair of winter gloves for 8 shillings, which is a bargain. However, I blew 12/6 on a "Concise Oxford Dictionary" nicely bound on thin paper, the ordinary one at 8/6 being too bulky for a soldier to carry about. Last night Lyle Trorey and I had dinner with Lorne at his mess, and then went to the movies. Today Captain and Mrs Gamble, had their little daughter christened, she is a dear little thing, nine months old, quite a few officers attended the ceremony at the church, and more turned up for the reception, Mrs McNaughton was there, and two other officers' wives. I almost got conscripted as Godfather, but fortunately the baby's Uncle, Major Rodger, godfather-elect arrived just in time, and I was able to withdraw to the sidelines. The Survey officers presented the young lady with a nice silver mug, and Lyle officiated very ably. Sam and Margaret, the parents are from Ottawa, and I think I have mentioned them before. They are a very charming couple, and Mrs G has always been very interested in Mary Elizabeth, and refers to her as "the Princess". I hope someday that you will be able to meet them, or visa versa.

There isn't much more in the way of news this week. I expect to go up for my tonsils removal sometime this week, it should not take more than two or three days to be back to normal.

Captain Purcell, the chap I went to Ireland with last Spring for leave, had a very unfortunate accident the other day, and they had to amputate his leg. He is doing very well they say, and I may have a change to see him when I go up to the hospital.

I will mail iyour parcel from the Morris' this week. Had another letter from Bill Hall, this one by air mail, but it took much longer to come than the airgraph he sent. He seems to be doing very well, has changed his job, or gone to a new office, which suits him much better, and he seems to be pretty much his own boss, and travels around quite a bit. Bill certainly has had an interesting time is the war so far.

Well dear, all my love,

Gerry.