#40

Nov 21. 1944.

Dear Mother:

Parcels 20 and 21 arrived so I am now well stocked with supplies. The tins of fruit arrived safely and in good condition though they had leaked very slightly. The shirt was just the right size and so came in very handy as I had thrown two away. I don’t remember telling you before that the other shirt you sent was too big but perhaps I did. The rest of the clothing will come in useful in warmer climes. As to socks I think it is better to get them here because although they are only ankle length they are all wool and I have scads of coupons. I was very interested in the prospectus on Yellowknife. It took me a little while to get my bearings but then could recognise several of the buildings, etc.

Cigarettes have been pouring in and I am quite overcome with them. I’ve given away three cartons and still have over 3000 on hand. When I leave here I will need a special suitcase for cigarettes alone.

The course has been going rather smoother lately and the end is actually in sight—perhaps a week will do it. I have had a bit of trouble with engines and have jettisonned enough gas lately to drive your car twenty thousand miles in order to get my weight down below the maximum for landing.

How is Dick getting along in Belgium or where ever he is? I haven’t heard from him for ages.

One day I was sent out to do a taxi test with a scrub crew of ground erks. It went well until time to pick up the mooring lizard but the bowman missed the bollard with the lizard and held on with the rope on the boathook. I heard shrieks of agony from the bows so cut the engines immediately and went forward expecting to find a dead man. Somehow he had got the rope around his leg and our inertia must have nearly broken it until we lost way. His leg was quite bruised but otherwise O.K. Incidentally when I rushed down the forward stairs I landed up in the bilges because someone had taken out the floorboards at the foot. This was funny enough but five minutes later I did exactly the same thing again. Fortunately I was in heavy flying clothing so was not even bruised.

With love from
Tony

[Editor’s note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]