Lieut. H.S. Burnard
2 C.I.R.U.
C.A.O.
Sunday 27/Feb/44
Dear Folks-
Havn't heard from you this week as my mail is being held back at 2 C.I.R.U. until I get back. As I probably mentioned I was going on a Gas course well I did. It has turned out to be a very good course up in the mountains near the English & Scotish boarder. The mountains are almost identical to those at Vernon but at present the weather is much more agreeable. Last night we had a quiet a heavy snow storm and this morning everything is white. The snow is very sticky but a change from the green grass down in the south.
We are billeted in a very nice country hotel where people used to come in peace time to do mountain climbing. The rooms are steam headed wich makes it fit to live in. I can't understand these people suffering the way they do from the cold just to be able to watch a fire burn coke.
In our room there are four officers, one a Scotish lad back from Sicily, one an English officer in the Air borne troops and the other is a young Polish officer who escaped from Poland in 41 I think. We have a good representation of the various countries seeing that I'm Canadian.
Another rather distinquishing feature of this school is that we are provided with batwomen instead of men. They bring us a cup of tea in bed do our buttons and shoes etc.
I've did a lot of funny things but this was the first time I ever had a female hollring outside my door asking me to give her my boots so she could clean them. I'll be glad to get back to where there are only men around as its much more convienient in several respects.
The Hotel incredently is 15 miles from any decent sized town so we have to look to our batwomen for entertainment. Last nigh we went to a dance and had the rather odd experience of dancing on concrete.
There were several parties going mountain climbing this morning but I can still rember what my knees felt like at Vernon so was anything but enthused at the idea. Hope everything is fine at Home. It should soon be getting to feel like spring again.
Harvey
