Lieut. H.S. Burnard
2 C.I.R.U.
C.A.O.
Aug. 22/43
Dear Folks-
Just a few lines to let you know I'm fine and my mail is comming over good. When I got back off leave I had 3 letters from you waiting for me. One was from Ivan and one written on the 11 of Aug. The parcels haven't arrived yet but I guess they'll come soon.
I had a very successful leave and saw a lot and traveled about 700 miles which is quite some distance over here. George Thomas the Lieut that came over when I did and I went up to Leeds for 3 days and 2 nites. From Leeds we went to Glasgow only stayed there about 5 hrs and went to Edinburgh for 3 days and 3 nites then spent last night and to-day in London. We were treated very well wherever we went especially at Leeds. There were thousands of girls at Leeds but no place of entertainment. It is very much industrialized but quite nice inspite of the smoke. Glasgow was a disgrace to any civilized community and we only stayed there long enough to get out. It's a dirty stinking smokey joint with thousands of dirty kids in every alley. I never saw anything like it, and even then I never saw the slums. Edinburgh is only 1 hr and 20 minutes by train from Glasgow but its one of the nicest big cities I was ever in. There are several large dance halls, outside dance pavilions and very nice beaches. George and I saw most of the historical sights around Edinburgh before we were picked up by two of the nicest females you could imagine. It is quite handy to have them pick you up because you are sure they are interested in you before you start. Mine was quite a kid she was only 18 had been engaged twice and I think she was going to get married in the future. She was real mad at me because I didn't want to marry her. But I explained that I was very practically minded and not in the habit of letting my imagination run away with me quite that bad. She was realy quite nice and sincere but imagined too much for her own good. Anyway these two girls showed us two the bright lights of Edinburgh in no uncertain terms at our expense of course. I spent 12 pounds in the 9 days of leave so consider myself quite lucky. Three of the main sites in Edinburgh are the Edinburgh castle built around 1100 and still in very good shaped Hoolyhood Palace built in the time of Mary Queen of Scots and in excellent shape and in fact Mary's bed is still there, and the Firth of Forth bridge a very large bridge over the Firth of Forth river. Edinburgh has never been bombed. We stayed at an officers club there and a bed and breakfast coust us about $1.15 per day which wasn't bad. During our stay and Leeds we stayed at a Hotel which was very nice with good meals for about 55 cents.
Glad to hear things had improved at home. It is quite dry here but very wet in Scotland. I don't think there is anything you can send because things over here are quite a bit better than you could ever dream of after being at war for 4 years. Hope everything is O.K.
Yours truly,
Harvey
