#11

June 23, 1945.

Dear Mother:

I have mentioned before how quickly [?] changed here. Well, now [?] are going back by boat. They are going to drown my stately white ship with its four new engines. What a criminal waste it seems!

I told you we were going to load one day. We got all our baggage as far as the pier before we were told we were not to fly. This order was later cancelled and remade several times for such is the efficiency of the liaison between AHQ and Air Ministry. If we were sorry there was one reprieved from the scaffold. That was our boy, who, with a face wreathed in smiles, and with unnatural energy, moved our baggage back to the security of our rooms. Great then was his downfall yesterday when we moved out to a transit camp. He would hardly [?]peak to us and looked very u[?]y only momentarily cheered by the gifts of kit we left behind.

Our flight commander who had been acting as CO was the last to go by air, so I as the senior of the remaining two crews held this honoured position.

This place we are at now, though closer to the sea is on high ground, a cooler and more healthy place than our old station which a few ago was a swamp. There is a beautiful view out over the sea from here and the long verandah of the mess with its restful chairs looks out onto this. I shall miss it.

I saw in a Canadian paper the other day a schedule for repatriation. I think there was 173 groups and I figure I am in the 80’s and Dick about 30. I wonder if they will be able to keep to the timetable of everybody home for Christmas.

I got some material for Valery but as she didn’t say what colour or what it was to be for I had to trust to luck.

My engineer has been very busy in the carpentry shop and has got three mahogany tables and a nest of trays. These with large numbers of towels, sheets and materials will practically stock his future home. All of this is put in a mahogany box and then crated so that the whole must weigh over two hundred. A wog carried it out on his head to our amazement. I am wondering how the customs will view this treasure chest.

Many happy returns of your birthday.

With love from
Tony

[Note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]