April 17/44

Dear Mother and Dad,

Well, I have just finished another day working in the mess. The work is not bad and we get special privileges, such as no duty watch and we can go up town anytime we want. I will not be able to start Morse pool now because we get off to late to make the classes.

It has been raining again and the ground is just as muddy as when we came in. I hope it isn’t like this all summer.

I haven’t received any letters from home yet but they should be coming in soon. Everything is on the up and up and I hope it stays that way. This ship is sure an improvement over Chippawa.

While we are on mess duty we have to get up at 5.30. We get a rest period at 10.30 and get off from 2 to 4. We are off for good at around 6.30. A week from Friday I will go into Montreal for the week end. That is sure something to look forward to. I am saving my money now so I will have some for then.

I seem to have a lot more spare time that I had at Chippawa, and have been doing a lot of reading. I have been to a show every night since I came in, so I cant complain about the entertainment.

I did not know whether it was against the rules to put up pin-up pictures on the wall beside your bunk, but I tried one and nothing happened so I guess it is O.K. I have a map up now too. Here is a plan of my dormitory so you can get an idea of where I sleep.

[drawing of dormitory layout]

About the only thing some of these boys seem to live for is letters from home. You seem them writing letters every day and at any spare period. These boys from Chippawa have written at least a letter a day home and mostly more. When the mail comes in you should see them rush to see if there is any for them.

I sure was surprised at the number of men here who hate this place and think it is the worst hole they could possibly be in. There is nothing but French here, but if you look at all the interesting points of the country it is no worse than an English community.

I am running out of ink.
M