Nov. 15/44

Dear Mother,

Am sitting in front of a most comfortable fire place in my home away from home. Have not written you for two weeks but found it impossible to find anything to say until now. I was doing P.T. for three weeks and then got a weeks leave before going back to work-which is tomorrow. My leg is not quite up to par just yet and of course the knee is still swollen, and shall be for the next 6 months, so I am told. Flying again is sort of an experiment to see if it will bother my knee, and I'll make sure it won't until I finish my tour. The flak has worked itself into the joint and can feel it at times when walking. The Doc's say another operation might possibly injure the knee so am naturally hoping it won't be necessary.

I have been at Hawksworth's now for the past six days and of course have no need to tell you how much I am enjoying myself. We have been out to a couple of shows but mostly stayed in nights and talked in front of this lovely fireplace. That will be something I'll have in my house-if you don't mind me looking into the future. Ann was also home for the weekend which was also very nice. I was uptown this morning (yes I got up early enough) and bought a pair of shoes, some socks and ties. I was up town one P.M. with Mrs. H. We went in to a shop to get some films developed and I found they had some cameras for sale. I bought one for ten pounds or $45 to you, which will prove it's worth I believe. It will take 36 photos on one film and there is no shortage of this film over here. I have them enlarged of course so you may expect photos in the future. There is also a leather case for it but Mrs. H. made me one out of shammi to put around the camera itself. Could you possibly find some 616 films to send me in the next parcel for Mrs. H.'s camera. Don't mark it on the outside of the box-it is never looked into. Could you also send me some canned wieners and some tinned corn as we were talking about them and they had never had any. I will give them to the Hawksworths when I get them.

It snowed a bit yesterday morning and it made me homesick. Judy fell off her bike on the way to school and scratched her leg and cheek so has been at home for the past two days. Nothing has yet turned up about Wally, but we are still hoping for the best. It's really tough if he's had it.

After four months of non work am wondering what it will be like to get back to it again. Do not know yet if I will be on the squadron as a spar or get crewed up again but hope it will be the former. Harry, our skipper, has kind of gone off his head. Nobody can convince him that it was the flak that killed the bomb aimer. He thinks it was his fault in the crash landing. Oh well, Selle la Guerre.

Don Sanderson sent me the films that were at Harewood so will send them to you.

Love to all,
George.