F/Lt. Drewry
J8629 CAN.
294 Sqdn RAF. ME.
Dear Twin:-
Ther’s stacks of your letters not answered so here’s one a bit longer than the AMLC’s. Tell mum nos. 226 - 227 and 228 all arrived today I’ll answer them tomorrow. This week has been a busy one in fact all month I’ve done more flying than for a long time. Our crew took part in one of the best executed search and rescues ever done by the unit and of course we’re all very happy about the success. We saved four out of a possible five, one died in hospital and two were only charred embers, but the A/C had crashed and burned in a high barren mountain 50 miles from civilization and only one out of five could walk after the crash. Reckon the account may be in the papers later on but can’t tell you about it at the moment. Appart from that ther’s just the normal odd lectures and things. Game of soft ball a couple of days ago. Went to a play put on by a service party of actors. It was very good and well acted. A few days ago I went to the officers shop and bought some shirts and trousers again so if we have no more tough jobs on trousers I hope to have enough to last me sometime.
I’ve been trying hard for ten days leave but here’s a list of my crew and our various duties. Lt. Knoblauch – sports and safety equipment officer. Lt. Trotter (both S.A.) mess secy. and auditor of the books. Myself gunnery leader, messing officer and officer O.C. training. P/O Cooper signals officer, F/O Townsend officer in charge of chemical warfare F/O Wilson Bar officer and navigation officer. Sure is a busy crew isnt it. Lt. Knoblauch is a real South African, quiet, well mannered, soft voice and hot temper if stirred up. (Knobby) Jimmie Trotter is an English born South African with a wife and child in South Africa. He was in the crew when we ditched and hasn’t flown much since. (The C.O. often flies with us.) F/O Wilson is a Canadian from Toronto, a real nice chap, young but a brilliant navigator, P/O Cooper is a Canadian from New Westminster a pleasant short stocky chap recently commissioned, somewhat entangled with a french girl in Alexandria. She says she’s coming back to Canada with him and wants him to marry her but Doug hasn’t given in as yet. She said her dowry when 21 yrs will be £12,000 or $55,000 so guess she can pay her passage at any rate. F/O Townsend is an Australian from Queensland, a bit slap happy from three and a half years in the desert but easy to get along with and very willing. Again a very cosmopolitan crew as usual but Canadians are in the majority here now, more coming all the time.
Your parcel arrived some time ago dear and was very nice. You and Mary and Mum wrap your parcels in an interesting way each one a surprise in itself. Anyhow I’ve now acquired a primus stove and am making coffee in the morning at 7AM and cocoa at night about 11:30 when we go to bed.
11:30
Bedtime again – the kettle is boiling so when I finish this I’ll make some cocoa and heat some beans. I’ve come off stand-bye tonight so will have 48 hours leave this weekend if I want to take it: think I will too as I’ve flown quite a lot at night this week and missed a good many meals through flying in the day time.
I showed a film on ditching today and had planned to show Random Harvest for amusement some evening but the projector burned out a bearing so that is off. I think thats all my work I can tell you about just now and it’s much the same of course each week.
Two statements came from the Bank of Montreal today so guess they decided I was still alive and might have business to do with some bank after the war, one showed $810.00 deposit and one 90.00 deposit so I’ll try and get the interest from R.C.A.F. H.Q. in Cairo if ever I manage a day in that direction. It’s getting too hot to go to Cairo for pleasure now. Bye the way have you or rather mum seen any sign of a $100.00 bond I have bought on monthly installments? It was paid for on April 30th so you may see its been deposited in my name at the bank so it may come to Mum I don’t recall who its registered for.
I am going to sign home another $60.00 a month to make my bank assignment $150.00 instead of 90.00 but as yet I haven’t written the letter so it may be July 1st before it’s effective.
Oh yes I’ve bought a camera again so will be able to get a few pictures for you now and again. It’s not a very good one but still I’m hoping to get some good snaps when our crew goes on leave.
Doc Tait hasn’t been up this way and I haven’t heard from him since two weeks ago, Grant Green is still at 75 O.T.W. No more word of Sel or Geoff. Haven’t heard from Jack Hughes but I’ll drop him a line when I’m on leave. Ther’s a welsh chap on our squadron who is a very good friend of mine and he got the D.F.C. this week. He’s due for England soon so is giving me his home address. Gosh if I look up all my addresses I’ll need six months in England and Scotland and the same in S.A. and New Zealand
Well sis its eatin time so my love to you and John and give the folks the extra
-Lawrence
[Editor’s note: While there is no written date, the letter’s contents indicate it was most likely 1944.]
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