Letter 36: December 13, 1942

Letter 36: December 13, 1942

Postmarked Bury Port, Camarthenshire, Wales

 

 

 

Dec 13, 1942 

Dear Ellen

            Well its darned near time, I know that’s what you will be saying but accept my kind apologys. I have been on 12 day leave from the last of Nov into Dec & I didn’t do any writing while on leave.

            I went to Auntie Janets for my leave & had a swell time once again. I spent a couple of days on our cousin Archie’s farm, his mother & two sisters & him live together. I had a new experience whilte I was there, Archie & his mother & I went to visit another farmer who lives with his mother. I thought it would be a quiet night but we were all sitting around the fire place & Archie & Joe got up & told me to come with them, they took me into the lavatory & shut the door & Archie produced a 40 ounce bottle of whiskey, we killed it in about ¾ of an hr & then went out & sat in the car & soon everybody was well oiled. My new experience thus was “Getting Stewed in a Lavatory” I went skating a couple of times on the artificial rink in Sorn & watched a curling game. Went to a dance in Sorn one night & had a few in the local, before going, with the village locals.

            I meant to go to Edinburgh to visit Uncles Tom & Jimmie but after arriving in Sorn I was sick of riding in trains that I decided to stay there until the end. I received a letter from you yesterday with the two snaps of you, they are very good & thanks a lot Ellen, one would think you were on the sea shore. Glad to hear you are still on the wagon , also glad to hear you were down to visit Dad. Say Ellen Dad always sounds cheerful in his letters but is he contented & happy when you see him, let me know won’t you as I often think of him back in Tuxford on his own & also when things are so dead around there.

            Ted Vickers (from Regina) one of the fellows who I trained with in Yorkton stopped in at this camp for two days, he came Sat so we went down to a Pub down the road on Sat night & got stewed & then came back to the mess & had a few more. I was still sewed when I woke up in the morning.

            Last night we played bridge, he left today. I’m duty pilot today & tonight so I haven’t seen the girl for three nights. We went to a show on Friday night called “Son of Fury”

            You know Ellen I’ve never received either of those packages of chocolate you sent me, I can’t figure it our because my mail is coming through well. I received a parcel from Archie & Muriel the other day, Xmas cake & cookies & chocolate bars, sure was swell. I also received cigarettes from Dad & a parcel from Mr & Mrs Matt Foran, Matt is a collector for the Massey Harris, & a parcel from Mr & Mrs Gebhard from Liberty (I trained with their son) & a Xmas card & package of nuts from Mr & Mrs N.C.Allen, so you see Ellen I should have lots to eat for a little while.

            I expect to be going to the girl friends house for Christmas, if I’m not on Duty or something which is not likely.

            Haven’t done much flying since I returned from leave, weather has been bad, it is the Welsh winter, just the same as when I arrived last Nov.

            They are building a picture house on the station for the personal & they got the pilots putting in the seats, its something to keep us occupied.

            I’ve had a letter from David & Jack lately & they are both well & going strong.

            The Salvation Army wagon was here the other day & gave each Canadian some socks & magazines, matches & a few Winchester cigarettes, they sure treat us fellows okay. Say Ellen if you are sending me some cigarettes some time would you send Winchesters if you could for a change, they are made by the same company as Sweet Caps.

            I got a swell pair of shoes while on leave, a fellow in Sorn gave them to me as they were to small for him.

            Say Ellen you remember once I spoke about silk stockings, well I would like to get three or four pair for Netta as its almost impossible to get any. Say you might think she should be in the forces but she works in a factory. Her & her family have been so swell to me and I’d like to get her some. Any kind will do Ellen, you said they were short of them in Canada before but there were rayon ones (they will do) it its to much trouble though Ellen & they are hard to get don’t bother, if you get them get the money from Dad and make sure you do get it from him as I don’t want you buying them & Dad has money of mine (size 10)

            Well Ellen I guess this is all for this time so I’ll say goodbye for now, hoping this finds you well

            Your loving brother

            Fred

PS Glen McCartney sure had a narrow escape didn’t he.