B81103 Pte. Caverly G. F.
# 16 Coln. F.D.C. R.C.A.M.C.

Italy, June2/44

Hi Mike: -

Here I am again with my letter to you, I received you're letter written on May 17th today. It sure as hell got here fast, 16 days to be exact. I wish my mail from home would arrive as quickly. The last ordinary letter I received from Dot was Xmas Day.

Well, old boy as you'll see by my present address I'm back with the old outfit again. I didn't care for the 3rd so applied for a transfer, which I received in five days. I was t.q.s. again here almost exactly the same day I left a year ago. It's strange the way things work out isn't it? I got back just in time to get into action with them for the first time. Since we've started I've been doing every goddamn job imaginable. First as post. op orderly I gave the boys the score on handling battle casualties. It was funny as hell, me telling them all what to do and the Cpls running back and forth asking me how to administer certain drugs & medication. After they got under way I went out on the amb. with some surgical cases who were being evacuated. Two trips of that though were enough for me. Sixteen hours in the back of an amb. over a hundred miles of dirt road and I resigned. I was so damned sick on the return trip I vomited up everything I have ate for a week before. Right now I've got a pretty good go. I'm in charge of all the sterilization. Right now there's bugger all to do which suits me fine.

I suppose you know that old Spence is now a Lt. Col. I think I told you this before but just in case I didn't there it is. By the way your letter reads Mike I take it the censors have clamped down pretty tight over in blighty. I wonder when in hell they are going to get cracking. It is quite the topic down here is good as you probably see by the papers. In fact I figure I'll spend my third anniv. In the army sightseeing Rome. I wish you could see Cassina and a few other places around it. They just aren't anymore. Just a pile of stone and rubble stinking like nothing on earth from the stiffs buried underneath. You see some hellish sight at the times over here, its hard to tell which of them is the worst. After the kind of life I've been living for the past year, the folks will have to civilize me all over again when I get back. I'm nothing more or less than a heathen now.

Well old pal, it's just about a year ago to day that I saw you last, it seems like a hundred and almost a lifetime since we climbed that gang plank together the day we left home. I hope and pray that before another year passes you & I will be able to walk arm in arm down that plank onto Canadian soil again. That will be a glorious day for us, won't it Mike. [Censored] Damnit how I would like to see you again and talk to you. I've missed you a lot Mike, more than you think.

Space is gradually getting smaller Mike so I guess I'll have to close for the present. Please write again soon, I was sure glad to hear from you again. Say hello to the Mrs. And young skipper for me. By the way, you said you were enclosing a snapshot in your letter. Where in hell is it, it wasn't there. Take care of yourself baldy I'll be seeing you.

Ever Your Friend

Jim

I sent him a snap of Dannie later.
[?] I'm slipping huh!
I love you Darling
Mo.