July 25th, 1943

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am writing this from a height of 4,200 ft. above Lake Ontario. I have just finished my bombing exercise and now my partner is taking over and will finish his. I have dropped 36 bombs to date, and am not doing as well as I should like to do. My average error is 155 yds. which is pretty poor, considering we are bombing under ideal conditions.

However, I look to have a pretty good group today so that may bring my average down somewhat. I hope so anyway. I have been up twice on gunnery flights - fired 600 rounds. First time, my score was 12 hits out of 400 rounds - average shooting at drogue targets. I can see now why they have four guns on one turret in our modern planes.

I have been to Toronto recently. I hope you got my telegram OK. telling you to listen in and hear the Quiz programme. I was terribly nervous all the time, could you hear it? But I was very glad that I answered both my questions OK., as you heard we won the cup and were also given a lovely souvenir gold bracelet, am going to get mine engraved as soon as I get time.

I saw Aunt Minnie, Uncle Jim and Uncle Will. Will is terribly crippled with rheumatism. I never saw such a pitiful sight in my life. I don't know how on earth he still manages to work. Minnie is not feeling or looking as well as she might. She fell and hurt her back a few years back and now is terribly round shouldered, almost a hump. Jim is still hale and hearty. He reminds me very much of Grandpa. He looks a lot like him and has many of the same mannerisms, like rubbing his nose with the whole hand or hitching up his trousers by grabbing both hands at the waist. Pen just ran dry so I have had to finish this elsewhere. Got another letter from Mrs. Beverly. Mary went on a walking tour of Wales.

Love to all,

Jim