F/o L.J. Drewry
J8629 CAN.
294 Sqdn.
RAF. ME.
3/10/42 [date error – year is 1943]

Dear Mildred and All:-

I’m in Jerusalem tonight but can’t say at present that I’m exactly enjoying it.

(6/10/43.)
Sorry sis I didn’t get very far that time but I didn’t enjoy my first night because I had a bad headache due I think to fatigue from travelling. I stayed in Jerusalem with a Jewish family as King Davids Hotel was full and so were the Y.M.C.A.’s (two of them). We had a good nights sleep and in the A.M. I felt much better. Since then I’ve travelled a bit more and am enjoying a day or two of relaxation before starting my course. This is a lovely spot though except for the camp amusements is a bit dull. However we have a swimming pool, tennis court, squash court, cinema and pool table so you see its much better than some places I’ve been. In fact it’s the best station I’ve seen since leaving England. Ther’s a canadian from ottawa who plays tennis with me against two South africans. Then we go for a swim after. Played three sets yesterday and three this A.M. and are going to play again tonight. I’m a bit stiff.

I also played one game of billiards and had a swim before dinner so you see I’ve been taking advantage of the facilities. (Sorry about the writing but we have no tables to write on and the fan is shaking my bed. Have it sitting on the foot of it.) Yesterday I visited the town near here but wasn’t impressed. However two E.N.S.A. girls whistled to us and came running over (My roommate was with me a Jim Mason.) They asked about a place to get a cup of tea but I know they weren’t wanting to have tea because they knew quite as well as we that all but one eating house is out of bounds for reasons of health. Well we didn’t play with them though they talked for half and hour so whatever they wanted (and I think it was someone to pay their taxi fare to the hotel where they stopped) they didn’t have any luck with us. Last night I went to see their show and found it quite good though very full of coarse or even crude humor which usually even in the army you don’t hear in front of ladies, of course not many E.N.S.A are ladies and I guess it’s because they find it popular that they bring on the jokes.

Well Sis, I posted a couple of parcels to you people but didn’t have any wrapping material so they are very rough, one is adressed to Mum and I’d like Mary to wrap the things again and I’ll send along tickets in my next letter to mark them with. If it doesn’t arrive in time why you can put labels on them from me and put them under the tree. Your parcel is not your christmas present. The tailoring on it is very poor so imagine you will be ripping it out and fixing it over, don’t think I chose the colour for you it was an accident so if you don’t like it give it to Mary it may suit her colouring better. Your christmas parcel isn’t wrapped yet so I’ll let you know when I post it.

Love to all
Laurence.