July 11th, 1944

Well, it seems a long time since I wrote last-about a week in fact, but it seems about twice that time since I heard from you last. It hasn't been that long because I got that letter from Dad with the photographs of Skipper and in the same mail got Paud's letter written four days later. Apparently the surface letter just caught a boat, and was more than welcome. I don't k now what's got into you Dad. Believe it or not that's three letters this year. If you only knew how much they're appreciated, you'd make it 3 a week. However, I'm lousy at getting down to write too, so I guess I'll have to forgive you.

Since I wrote last, we've finished our day flying and are just starting on nights. It's just past noon now, and I just got up and had dinner, and here I am back at the hut trying to overcome the urge to crawl back into bed. However, I don't fly tonight, so I can sleep as long as I like later.

There's really nothing just yet about night flying except the nuisance of staying up. Larry's just on circuits & landings, and we have to go along to see he doesn't get lost. Wally (the bombaimer) and I take alternate nights, but I don't see why we need to go at all because we never go further than 10-15 miles away. However, it won't be long until solos at night, and then off we go on night cross countries. I imagine about another three weeks or a month we'll be all though here.

Well, then there is the rumour about going to India or the near East someplace, but I'm afraid we're not lucky enough for that. However, it would be wonderful.

Between day and night flying they gave us another 48 and again we went to Birmingham for a rest. We got the same hotel room as last time and slept almost one complete day. We did absolutely nothing except go to a dance, saw "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and did some more shopping.

I don't know what possessed Larry and I to do it, but we both bought some leather jackets They're really wonderful though, the same on the outside as Dad's old one and leather-lined wit a zipper up the front. Boy, they're really swell, but I don't know when we'll be able to wear them. They cost us the equivalent of about $23.30 and ten clothing coupons, but really they're more than worth it. When they say 5 pound 5, it doesn't sound nearly so much. That's the trouble with this darn English money. It inclines to make a person extravagant.

I also got a letter from Ralph and Helen which I must answer too, so it seems I'm going to have plenty of correspondence to catch up on.

Paud was asking in her correspondence just what a Nissen hut was. Well, first of all, they're the grimmest places possible, and yet could be worse. They have a cement floor, and from there up are covered with a curved corrugated metal, so they appear to be semicircular in shape, and have two windows in the front. As soon as I get some film, I'll send some pictures. Six-twenty is the size (hint).
Well, anyway it seems I'm always asking for something, and usually every week along comes a parcel with something wonderful. About a week ago I got that parcel with the grapefruit, pencils, socks, shampoo, bars cookies & chocolate mix. Boy, everything was wonderful. Then yesterday along comes another carton of cigarettes. So you the name "Mama's Baby Boy" is justified. Well, must sign off now, but will write again shortly.

Thanks for everything.