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Date: April 18th 1944
To
Family
From
Bill
Letter

Lllandrog (Caernarvon)
North Wales

April 18/44

Dear Mum Dad and All:

Back again, but this time with a little more news. I haven't written now for about a week, but it hasn't been because I haven't been thinking about you every day. I have no excuses to offer.

As you will notice by the heading, I'm now moved to and A.F.A station in Wales. We just arrived this morning, and at present Don & I are sleeping in a very decent sized room in a hut divided into four rooms-two to each. There are two windows, two beds, two chests of drawers and mirrors, two chairs and a writing desk. Besides that, we have a little heater which at present we are trying without avail to light. It's really not a bad place and we have curtains on the windows looking again out over the ocean. So you see again, we just can't get away from it.

We have a very lovely beach, but of course it's wired off, but I suppose we can at least do some sun bathing.

We left southern England yesterday at about 3:30 and went from there to London. We had to change trains there, and so didn't leave until 10:50 P.M. We had about two hours off altogether, so went to the Dominion Officer's Club. You can see a small article & pictures of it in the Picture Post mag.

We came back in lots of time, and got on board, and settled down to an all night's ride, and arrived in Caernarvon, a quaint little Welsh speaking village, about 6:30. We all went downtown and had breakfast, and then went back to the station for transportation out here.

We had a horrible time lugging all our baggage, and boy, I believe it's heavier now than it ever was. We were given another breakfast here of which I fully partook, and settled down in the lounge for a while.

The reason I could eat so much can easily be explained. On leaving we were given rations: cheese ham sandwiches in the ratio of 6:1, so you see I was running all night, and really did feel weak this morning.

When we arrived here, the first thing to greet us was a Mark I Anson, the same kite we flew in at Crumlin, so you see we'll be quite at home.

We were taken then to the educational officer who gave us a little talk about the station-what to expect and what not to expect. We found out that we'll be here a max of about four weeks in which time we have to get 30 flying hours-15 day plus 15 night, so I'm afraid we're really going to be busy. When I say "we", I mean the whole gang.
Every officer that was on course with us at Crumlin is here, so it's really swell. In fact, there are only two or three outsiders.

After supper tonight, I was catching a bus when whom should I meet but Bud Rimmer. He's a Sgt. W.A.G. and has been here about a week and a half. It's quite possible that we might go to the same O.T.U. Here's hoping. We may even get on ops together.

Well, enough for now. Write soon. The last was April 2 & one from Red Apr.3, Thank him for me, and tell him I'll write as soon as possible. Take good care of Skip & give him a poke for me. Write soon with all the news.

Love
Bill