#116 B.R.
Dartmouth N.S.
Aug. 17/41.
Dear Eric & Traer,
Well boys how do you like your new home—just as nice if not nice than you'd expected I'll bet. I've sort of been waiting until you were settled & could drop me a line as I haven't the faintest idea of the address—let me see nosy—is it the 47th or 49th block on 7th Ave?—heck if I know!
Did you get over to Lem's for a week or so? Boy, I'd sure like to have gone a long with you.
Coming downing on the train from Montreal in a private car just behind the one in which I was traveling were two little girls & their mother. They were about Louise's age & had straight white hair cut off short & little rouged red pug nosed daces & when I spoke to the eldest she just smiled & jabbered away in some queer language. You've probably guessed it—they were Princess Wilhelmina of Holland & her two little daughters apparently going to some lodge in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick for the summer. They were met at some little station by a fleet of big custom built Cadillacs & Pachards all with the Royal coat of arms on the doors which whisked them away into the woods before any of the curious realized they had just seen some of the world's most publicized refugees.
While I was in Montreal—I stopped there for a day—I dropped into see Pete W. Unfortunately he was away but his mother made me right at home & was awfully nice to me. It was a terrifically hot day & she had a tub all ready for me when I arrived & while I was cleaning up she washed out my shirt for me & hung it to dry while we had a snack of lunch. I think maybe she may have written to mom so I wonder if you can persuade mom to answer her as she was awfully good to me.
It looks at tho I'm going to be here for sometime—till freeze up anyways. We fly quite frequently & remain at sea for 18 & 20 hrs at a time—in fact we come very close to Ireland once in a while.
For the last ten days I've been stationed in Brentwood Bay, Newfoundland & I'm mighty glad to be back in civilization once again. The place has little to boast about, just a handful of frame building dotting the moss covered rocky shoreline. Sturdy little ponies, & scroungy looking sheep & goats wander loose thru the streets & between endless rows of leaning rickety picket fences. The inhabitants all speak with some sort of codfish accent & seem to be very, very ignorant. They aren't too stupid however to charge atrocious price for everything you buy & pass off Nfld 20 cent pieces in place of quarters.
Admittedly it is quite interesting & picturesque but on the whole a lengthy story isn't exactly conducive to the best of sanity.
Our former class is now separated & scattered & if your interested as follows, by standings; first 8 with yours truly, next 10 sent overseas by ship, next 6 sent to a training school in Debert N.S. & the remainder of them were sent to Montreal from whence they navigated Hudson bombers over the pond. I saw some of the chaps when they stopped at Nfld. airport on Gander Lake to refuel before the final hop & boy were they ever thrilled. This Nfld. airport is almost the biggest in the world & there is enough concrete on the runways to construct 80 miles of double width highway—pretty big, hey! There are over 1000 Americans stationed there from the U.S. Army Air Corps & the nearest town is over 90 miles away at Batwood Bay. You can easily realize therefore how we are lionized every time we are for news & to take out & to take out mail without being censored. After that last remark here's hoping this gets by O.K.
When not flying our time is pretty well our own & we can come & go as we please with not questions asked. The only trouble with that is there is no place to go and because most of the time it is raining cats & dogs anyways there is no fun in going to the beach—for guess again—there are no beaches.
I hope Eric that you wrote to Aunt Blanche & Mary as you promised for I know they are very anxious to hear from you boys—etc, etc, etc. By the way—have either of you bought a pair of "wides" yet? Vanderpants' sent me that print of Louise & its really cute—I'm going to get a frame for it one of these days.
Well I guess I've just about reached the end of my tether as far as subject matter goes so I'm hoping to hear from you soon.
Special to the Duchess as usual xxxxxxxxx ad infinitum!!
Love Newton.
P.S.
Get after Mother to get busy & write to the Marshalls believe you me—they'd really appreciate it.
