England May 26 1944

Hi Folks:

Back again, but late as usual, but this time with a little news, but very little I can tell you now. Boy, it's going to be great to get back and really tell you in full just what we've been doing.

As you can see from the top, we're back in England again, and are now starting in our latest course which I imagine will take about 2 ½ months. We arrived last Wednesday, and now am completely crewed up with the swellest bunch of fellows you'd meet anyplace.

It's funny though, one R.A.F. skipper asked me to be his nav. and first of all I accepted. He was a staff pilot, and an F.O. - something unusual over here; and he had all kinds of flying time. But later we learned the Can. gov't had passed some ruling whereby Canadians could only crew up with Canadians, so that was that. Boy, I must say they have a lot to learn back there. It certainly doesn't make things any easier for us over here, and there always was a feeling between the . But later I crewed up with a Canadian sergeant pilot whose records are really good, and is in line for a commission. As it is, I'm the only commissioned one in the crew, but it doesn't make any difference to them & you get a lot of cooperation.

All the rest of the gang are crewed up too except Don, and he seems to be an extra although will get a crew soon, I expect, from A.F.W.

I got a swell report which really made me feel good, although there were six of us out of twenty who got above average. From here, I more than expect we'll convert to Lancasters, thank goodness.

The food here is really much better, and we've had small steaks twice since arriving. Tonight was swell: cold meat, potatoes, potato salad, lettuce, onions & radish, prunes and custard sauce & coffee. So if things continue like this we'll be more than satisfied.

The mess fees are a little higher, but who cares when you get results.

At present we're living in Nissen huts with four to a room. Again, Ray and I are together, so things really turned out swell. They did break up our course, though-8 coming here, and 8 going to another station. The rest were given leave.

I received a letter from Cam yesterday, and he's practically finished his O.T.U., so he'll be starting out himself pretty soon, although he's not bomber command.

Tell Bud and Gib not to be too anxious to get over here, because they won't have the same good time I had.

I guess I didn't tell you I had a letter from Aunt Hazel last Monday, and then today I got four more letters-all surface mail: two from you dated 21st & 22nd March, one from Herb dated the 23rd, and one from Aunt Hazel the 24th April. They certainly have a screwy system working someplace, but boy, I read them half a dozen times. It is remarkable just what it does to a person. I guess I should reciprocate & get a few going the wrong way myself.

Ray, his skipper and I took some pictures yesterday, so if they turn out I'll send a print back. I wish you could get one of Skipper. I suppose he still has the run of the ranch. Tell Herb he has my permission to call him "Whiffy". Apparently [Skipper's] a little bit perturbed because his burps come out the wrong end. Anyway we all had a good laugh about it.

Well, must shut up for now. Write soon and don't worry. Just keep 'em flying me with a stack of letters it will take me a week to read.

Love. As ever,
Bill