May 29/43.

Dear Folks.

I just recently received a couple of your letters, glad to hear of you again.

Plenty of mail coming the last few days, all the boys in the hut fighting for a place at the table to write letters, one of the lads receive a dozen letters the other day, from strange people & what have you, really having a hell of a time to know how to answer some of them, he. I've heard from Gordon & Cecil just lately, & am still receiving letters from Edith, so guess I can still tell you what Carl's doing & all the gang and Glen's home just now, doesn't seem as though to gaining much, would be better for him just knocking around home, imagine exercise is what the lad needs he?? I'm not over worked lately, haven't had many flying hrs in, will probably be on a training crew for some time, using camera guns to train a few of the crews, maybe better, shorter flying hrs. than operational trips, really plenty of ocean between us, folks, bags of water.

I haven't received your parcel yet Mother of April 3rd but some of the boys received received today, it will take about another week. O.K. on Glen sending a lighter, I imagine it's really hard to get one now, matches being so hard to get over here, but I can manage should he not succeed. I hope those oranges your sending, I believe you said, do keep well, some of the boys received some, they kept O.K. if you have enough wax on them, Chicken O.K. but it's a bad was of [?] so maybe just forget that in the future Mother, suit yourself, we got some eggs at the dance last nite, cost about 80ȼ a dozen, a sale for the Red Cross, took them over to the airmans mess & had a couple & toast before going to bed I usually go to a dance here once a week, mostly all service, some woofs, but I don't know, give me Canada. Our crew got split up when we came here, one lad went to the hospital for an operation, & a couple more of us changed, I'm doing a job that I really haven't had any training in but flying with a good gang, a squadron leader as a pilot, best fellow on this station, the gunnery officer, a canadian, tells me are going to have some fun, he's flying with us too, doing some of this training sighting tacticts, teach a few crews
There are a few towns on the island, some pubs, but beers not what it use to be, as they say, you've had it chum, you've had it.

Anyway things are still looking brite enough, received your cable & usually write each week, even if sometimes I'm lost for words, but in gang we are usually enjoying ourselves, few shows here, & a radio in the hut, some good programs put on for the forces, never get to bed before twelve o'clock here any nite but usually not up for breakfast, 12 noon is better, one know when we can get away with it. We are flying in Sunderlands, you must see a few pictures of them in the mags do you not?

Your really doing O.K. in exams Lill, well I managed 76.7 in Canada & 76 over here when in Wales.

Is there much flax being sewn this year? imagine Eden will get a postponment O.K. O.K. on Bill, Bob & Lee, [?]. I don't need a pen, have on of these straight ones, getting to like it.

Will sign for now, have Glen write a letter for a change.

Cheerio,

Yours Claude.