March 6/44

Dear Folks,

Received your letter written Feb. 23 which is very good service. Was so pleased to hear about Grandma and Grandpa's Golden wedding. They must have been quite thrilled with everybody coming in to see them. Also glad that you gave them some money from me. You mentioned my letters thrilled you very much. I assure you I am continually looking forward to yours-each one making me wish a little harder for the day when I can see you all again. Also glad to hear that you received the 85 bucks I sent you while in Canada. Is my check arriving o.k. every month. Have only received the 300 cigs that Dad sent so far. Have been using English ones and am quite sick of them-both in quality and price. We pay app. 75 for twenty. However am hoping that some will arrive soon. Was so sorry to hear about Mrs. Beaton, she was always so nice to me. I guess Dick should regret the past few years.

I hope you have sent my watch. I need it so badly in my work. I will be sending mine home and you can keep it till I get back. There's only a small piece missing from it which can't be found in England. When you have time you could send a pair of woolen gloves. They would keep my hands much warmer than the leather ones.

Had a letter from Tom Case about a week ago and answered same. Received a parcel from Mrs. Case a few days later so must write again. Had a letter from Johnny Kolohon. Apparently he hadn't heard about Ted as he (John) had written him and got no reply.

Just finished writing a letter to Milton. He is coming here in a few days, as he got some leave. We will have a lot to talk about. Seems so strange that we haven't met yet but something always intervenes. Had a letter from Mrs. Hawksworth. She got your letter o.k. and was so pleased about it. Walt and I will be going there for leave when we are through here which should be another six weeks or so. We expect to get two weeks leave-a week in Edinburgh and a week at Hawksworths. Wally just got out of the hospital again, another cold.

We haven't been able to fly the last few days. Not the weather, but industrial smoke from Birmingham. When the wind blows from that direction the ground is covered with a thick layer of smoke. The smell is terrible at first but we get used to it.

You remember me telling you about the link trainer, well I am getting a lot of flying in that now. you see we are 2nd pilot over here and also get instructions on flying on each cross country. The instructor wondered why I did so well so I relieved his morbid curiosity and told him the story which seemed to happen so long ago. In link trainer I am practicing "flying on the beam". This to me seems so very interesting. It's very hard to explain but it's flying around and making landings etc. completely by sound of dots and dashes that come over the radio from the ground beacons.

You mentioned about Austin going out to play hockey with the rest of the boys. It does so remind me of my boyhood days in Kelvington. You know Mother, when I look back on it it seems so long ago, and what a wonderful time I had. I can remember when I cussed the place up and down but it is certainly different now. What wonderful friends and memories I have of Kelvington. So often I find myself thinking back. Well folks I can't say much more than that I love you all so very much. Am going to treat myself to a bath tonight. It's four weeks since I had my last one so you realize the conditions and agony (cold) that we go through. I sleep in my underwear, flying suit, stockings, 4 blankets and overcoat over that so take a guess from that what the weather is like.

All my love,
George