No 6 Reserve Squadron
ROYAL FLYING CORPS,
CATTERICK.
Yorks

January 8 1917

Dear Em.

This is rotten weather again. Last night it snowed, then it turned to slush and since then the wind has blown incessantly from the north. It is rather miserable as it holds up our flying entirely. I have been here 8 days now and in all that time I have only been up 25 minutes. If I recall one of your letters correctly, you said not to hurry too much anyway, so that is certainly carrying out your instructions to the letter.

However I am quite busy these bad days on machine guns and wireless. I am wretched on wireless, so that I have lots of room for improvement. And today I heard that I was due to leave here on Sunday next to proceed to Hythe on a course of aerial gunnery and aerial photography, to commence on the 15 Jan and to continue until about the 27th. That will be nice to be in that neighborhood again. I am just going to write to the Imperial Hotel for accommodation for that period. Rather funny it is quite familiar to me, as it was the first and most welcome hotel I was ever in England. Then too I will be quite close to Folkestone, and will be able to see the Reades quite often, and Alf, if he is still in England.

Did you notice in the honor list, that my Brigadier, Ketchen has been honored with the K. C. B. I am sure he has earned it. If Mrs K. is still in Hythe I shall call on her too.

In one of your recent letters you mentioned Ede Henderson. Is she home yet? Is she coming home as a bride or otherwise? I rather hope otherwise from what you said of the would?be groom. Let me know about her when you write again. I wrote Audrey quite a long time ago, but have never heard from her.

Had quite a nice long letter from Bessie Connor, and her Mother, some little time ago. They seem quite worried about Byron, but I should think he would be alright. I have lost his address or would have written him before now. I have written him two or three times since he came over here, as a matter of fact.

I hope Alf writes more regularly. I know I have no right to advise him on such things, but I wrote him the other day and among other things told him to write every week at least. I guess he will smile at that coming from me. But I am privileged if from nothing more than the Age standpoint. Do you realize that I will be 28 in May. And by the way, you will be having a birthday quite soon. On the 20th of this month, is it not? Well very many happy returns of the day, and may it be the happiest one yet. I hope I shall be able to help you celebrate the next one.

Major Hall, Mrs Reade's brother, has been given a command, his old battalion, is mentioned in dispatches by Field Marshall Haig, and has received the D. S. O. So I shall have to write him too.

Mrs Reade sent me a colic or cholera belt the other day but I am afraid to wear it, because once you start it is necessary to keep it up. And I only have one.

Mother's parcel enclosing chamois jacket & etc is still on the way. I hope it arrives before I get to Hythe, as I could wear it there very nicely. You see we do quite a lot of our flying there over the water (English Channel) and it is quite cold, I am told. However I shall be well clothed anyway. You can leave that to me. I am feeling fine again after my recent so called indispositions. No sign of muscular rheumatism now, and intestinal trouble all gone. Feeling absolutely O.K. again for which I am very glad.

I wrote G. F. last week so Mother will be glad to know that. He is sending some cigars, which have not arrived yet. Must close now and hope this will get away on to?morrow's boat. Hope all are feeling well as usual and that Father is quite better again. Lots of love for you all and kindest regards to Miss Smith.

Loving bro.
Wilbert