Kipling Sask.
Jan. 4/45

My dear Friend:

I received your card for Christmas and both Hazel and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in remembering me at this time. It was really good to hear from you again. I wish I could tell you of good news of Lloyd. No doubt you saw in the Leader that he is now for Official purposes, Presumed dead. I had that word Dec. 11. I knew it was coming and that I could meet it bravely but it took all I had. It really is a shock. I really think the Insurance Co. had some thing to do with having it done. Tho it is long past 6 mos. in fact it will be a year Jan. 27. I didn’t have to accept any payment until he was Presumed dead and they wanted the business settled. That is the way it looks to me.

On June 12 I received word from Air Ministry that word had been received through International Red Cross that 3 of the crew in which Lloyd was flying were reported as loosing their lives on that night and that they were part of a crew of a Lancaster. So we know the plane was found. No further details were given. Four are yet not reported.

I have had letters from the wife of the W.A.G. Mrs. Bunny Clark. Bunny was Lloyd’s pal. Mrs. Clark has a son 13 years old. No other family. Bunny was one of those killed. I have also had letters from the father of the Pilot and they are grand letters. The Pilot was F.O. Robert West and was Staff Pilot 11 mos. at Dafoe Sask. at one time. He is one of those still missing. We still have hope that they are Prisoners of War or are with the underground. Neither positions are enviable we know, but how glad we would be to know he is alive.

I have been living here with my daughter since June, was over at Whitewood in Oct. and met an acquaintance who had been in William’s store in Regina and met a lady whom Lloyd had boarded with in Glenavon. I presume she is Mrs. Slightholm, that was how she spelled it to me. I understood from her that Mrs. Slightholm was clerking in the store. We might be able to see her some time when up there.

My youngest son Howard was sent to India in August. He is on Transport Command on the Burma Front. His three years overseas will be completed about next May and we expect him home permanently. He is a F.O. and is Signal Officer for his Squadron.

In the meantime our prayers are for an early ending of this awful conflict and the return of our other loved one.

I must thank you again for Greetings and kind remembrance.

Will be pleased to hear from you again.

Very Sincerely
Mrs. G. Cuming.