March 26, 1944

Dear Mother and Dad,

Well, I am starting my 3rd week here, with 2 weeks to go. Everything is going along at a great rate and very smoothly. When I went to the post office today I got a letter, a parcel and 2 magasines. I was on duty watch on Sunday, but I got off all day Sat. from 8 A.M. to 1. A.M. Sunday. We had a late leave on Friday night and I went to see “Madame Curie.” I sure was lucky on duty watch Sunday. All I got to do was 2 hrs. sentry duty in the men’s dormatory from 12 to 2 P.M. but when I was assigned to it it was 20 minutes to 2 so I only had 20 minutes of it. I got off work stations and fire stations. The reason I got off work stations was because about 4 of us boys were told to put on side arms and leggings to be Shore Patrolman at the C.N.R. station. But when we got our coats on, we were told it was too late. We went to take off our coats but instead of falling in with the rest of the duty watch, we went down to the men’s mess.

The cookies are good!

Allen Anderson came in today and I showed him the ropes around the ship. He is beginning to think he was a sucker to join.

I spoke to L. Sm. Kirkpatrick and he said I would put in a request for out of port leave, but Sub. Lieut. Anderson say that I will get home. I sure hope he is right. He is going to have a talk with the X.O. I have a feeling I will be home soon but I can’t tell when.

We got the results of our 2nd Exam today, and I had the highest mark again. 97%. My last mark was 82.

Vergessin Sie nicht zu schriben (Don’t forget to write)

Your L.S.                                                                                                                            
Malcolm

P.S. When you write to me always put Ord. Sm. in front of my name, because there is another R.M. McKenzie here but his name is Robert Malcolm McKenzie, and he is a stoker 2. There are about 6 or 7 other McKenzies here altogether.

[drawings of “R.M. McKenzie (Yours Truly),” and “R.M. McKenzie (The Other One),” captioned: “not very much alike, RMM”]